


Venom and Perfume: The Case of Fangs Fogarty

by againtimeelapsed



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Serpent Betty Cooper, F/F, Mystery, cw death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:28:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 44,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22215589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/againtimeelapsed/pseuds/againtimeelapsed
Summary: Somebody’s brought death unto Riverdale, and they seem to be untouchable. Betty Cooper– a leather-clad member of the Southside Serpents– is thrown into the mystery along with her rival Veronica Lodge– a rich girl new to town and cheerleader. They get closer to the crimes than they ever wanted, and to each other.
Relationships: Beronica - Relationship, Betty Cooper/Veronica Lodge, Veronica Lodge/Betty cooper
Comments: 49
Kudos: 240





	1. Chapter 1

Fangs Fogarty: Dead. Found shot in an alley in the Southside of Riverdale. The Bulldogs, the River Vixens, the nerds, the theater geeks… not even the hippies seemed to care at this godforsaken school. If it were Southside High, the whole school would’ve been in mourning. Instead, Betty was forced to grieve the untimely death of one of her closest friends with her back against her locker while the school carried on without her. Without Fangs Fogarty.

It was her, her step-brother Jughead, Toni, and Sweet Pea who stood near motionless together off to the side of the hall, an afterthought to their Northside classmates. It seemed as though they were putting in the extra effort to alienate the leather-clad group in their most vulnerable hour. One would think there’d at least be a notion of respect to their sorrowful state, given that they’d found out about their friend during the morning announcements, no less, but nobody dared to even make eye-contact.

“They think we’re going to lash out,” Jughead muttered next to Betty, his dark, sullen eyes watching the passing students with a subtle indignant rage that might just prove them right. “They’re waiting for the bomb to go off.”

A loud _BANG_ made half the hallway jump, but instead of a bomb, it was Sweet Pea punching the shit out of some unfortunate soul’s locker, leaving a knuckle-sized dent. He adjusted the strap of his backpack on his shoulder and started down the hall in an unstoppable march.

The remaining trio released a collective breath. “What did you guys expect?” Toni argued, the realist. “Were you hoping Reggie Mantle was going to come over with flowers?”

Jughead, of course, had a rebuttal. He said something like “right, I forgot we were just supposed to accept that the privileged population can’t be bothered if some struggling teenaged nobody is murdered in cold blood” but Betty wasn’t listening closely. Her lungs felt restricted. Somewhere across the hall, a certain Vixen watched her closely.

“I can’t breathe.”

When she made her swift exit from the group, neither Jughead nor Toni seemed to notice. It was better that way. She didn’t like when people were around to witness her break.

It was the empty girls’ locker room she sought solace in. She crossed the floor quickly to the sinks and splashed cold water on her face as she fought the anxiety attack. She gasped for breath and braced herself by gripping either side of the sink. She couldn’t stop picturing Fangs’ face in her head; once smiling, now lifeless. But when she looked up at her reflection in the mirror and saw another figure standing behind her, she swallowed the attack and promptly wiped away the tears that had begun to fall. “What do you want?”

Veronica Lodge stayed where she was, her hands folded in front of her cheer skirt–– it was spirit day, of all days–– and an expression that said anything but ‘full of pep’.

“I figured you could use a distraction. Or company, from someone who’s not currently yelling about the injustice of… what was it? Reggie not giving him flowers?”

“He’s in pain. He doesn’t know how to deal. None of them do.”

At that point, Betty had decided to avoid looking at the brunette in the mirror, but she could have guessed the apologetic look on Veronica’s face based on the lengthy silence.

But Veronica wasn’t done. “Betty, I’m––”

Betty spun on the heels of her combat boots to face her. “You’re what, Veronica? You’re sorry? I don’t want pity from the daughter of the man responsible for displacing families and moving a bunch of teenagers to a school that doesn’t give a shit about them.”

Veronica’s eyes dragged up from Betty’s boots, over the ripped jeans, band t-shirt with a plunging neckline that definitely hadn’t been like that when it was bought, her Serpent jacket, and wavy blonde hair before settling back on Betty’s glossy green eyes. She folded her arms in a defensive stance, but she didn’t snap back. Anger was Betty’s way of dealing. Only those close to her knew that her temper masked a more vulnerable emotion underneath, but Veronica was sharp and observant. She took some bold steps forward until she was standing right in front of Betty, and let out a sharp sigh. “I am sorry about Fangs. Betty… he really seemed to care about you.”

Under Veronica’s knowing gaze was a hard place to be when one was trying to repress. Betty’s eyes bounced between both of the cheerleader’s, like they were searching for something. But her lip quivered and she dropped her head, defeated.

Veronica’s hand found the nape of Betty’s neck as the blonde shook. “Go be with your friends,” she said, almost sweetly, which cut to Betty’s soul, just the sense that someone could take care of her, but Veronica squeezed her shoulder and kept her focus. “They _need_ you right now. Then, tonight… you know where I’ll be.”

After school, it was time to hear the whole story. Betty, Jughead, and Sweet Pea were squeezed onto the couch in FP’s trailer, watching the news on the small vintage television her stepdad refused to upgrade. Nobody in the family fought it except for Alice. Every now and then, the news broadcast would fuzz out until Sweet Pea got up to smack the TV on its side.

Nothing yet about Fangs’ murder.

Betty chewed at her fingernails. If someone had been arrested, they should’ve heard by then. Or, they’d be getting a good look at the face of the person who took their friend away from them at any moment. She was eager to see. She needed a face to the deed. Hating a faceless, nameless entity wasn’t going to be good enough.

Jughead’s leg bounced incessantly and Sweet Pea sat with his arms crossed. Jughead was probably thinking the same as Betty while Sweet Pea was likely battling hard with a sadness he didn’t know how to deal with. Toni had gone to work at the Whyte Wyrm, choosing practicality as her method of dealing. The moment they got to watch the news story on Fangs, Betty looked forward to visiting her and the rest of the Serpents for a night of remembrance and celebration for what little life he’d gotten to live.

_“––This morning, a Southside Serpent was found shot in an alley….”_

The three of them sat up and and held their breaths.

_“…. Fangs Fogarty was only eighteen and was attending Riverdale High School after Southside High was shut down. His name is added to a still growing list of youngsters lost to gang violence.”_

Jughead stood abruptly and pitched his soda at the television screen, splashing liquid over the image of the news reporter, and left the trailer with a slam of the door. Sweet Pea hesitated a moment before looking to Betty. “What is it? What does that mean?”

Betty’s teeth were clenched, her chin jutting out. The report turned to an interview with Sheriff Keller.

_“… increase patrols in the Southside… doing all we can… a warning to those looking to get involved with these gangs…”_

“Betty?”

“It means they’re not looking for the person responsible. It means that all they’re planning to do is crack down on us and the Ghoulies.”

She heard a scoff of disbelief from Sweet Pea, but it wasn’t until he spoke again that she tore her attention from the television:

“I mean, maybe it was the Ghoulies. He could’ve created some enemies with them since he started dealing.”

“I’m sorry… since he started doing _what_ now?”

After the news story, Betty decided that she wouldn’t be joining the rest of the Serpents at the Whyte Wyrm. Toni was probably wondering where she was, no doubt getting worried. But Betty was getting the sense that something was very, very wrong with Fangs’ death, other than the obvious. So she drove out to take Veronica up on her offer. They never talked when they met up at the Shady Palm Motel for their quite regular, no strings attached affair. It wasn’t like they were actually dating, or that they even liked each other. Since they’d admitted their sexual attraction to each other, they’d fought in the halls less and less about Hiram Lodge and the SoDale project, so really they were doing a service to their classmates.

This time was different.

Veronica had her back against the headboard on the bed and Betty had her head in Veronica’s lap, while Veronica stroked her hair in silence. They were fully clothed. Veronica had only managed to get Betty out of her Serpent jacket before guiding her to the bed. When Veronica had promised a distraction in the locker room, Betty had no reason to assume anything different from what happened during their usual nights together. But when Betty had arrived at their designated motel room and Veronica opened the door, Betty suddenly realized that she was far away from those who expected her to be strong for the rest of them, so she had finally broken down. What she _really_ hadn’t expected was for Veronica to stay.

Now the tears were gone and Betty was focused on one thing: The news report. The sadness was worn out of her and a feeling of determination had replaced it.

Veronica sensed it. “What’s on your mind?”

A strange question from someone who wasn’t supposed to care about things like that. Maybe Fangs’ death had created an exception and they’d go back to normal tomorrow. Betty rolled over so she was facing Veronica and looking up at her with puffy eyes and green irises. “The police aren’t looking for Fangs’ killer. They want to crack down on the Ghoulies and the Serpents as a whole instead of looking for the murderer.”

Veronica knew the look: It was the same look Betty had right before she’d rally her stepbrother for a superiorly inconvenient protest at one of Hiram’s construction sites. Well, it was inconvenient for her father. “And you would like to hunt them down yourself? Betty, there were no witnesses.”

Betty swallowed and watched the other girl for a moment, making a judgment. Maybe it was the way Veronica’s fingers never stopped stroking her hair, or maybe it was the way Betty felt oddly safe being this vulnerable with another human being and that human being was Veronica Lodge, but she figured it would be safe to tell her. “Fangs had started dealing drugs. He… never told me about that. Serpents don’t deal hard stuff. A Ghoulie could’ve felt like he was threatening their business, so they shot him. Sweet Pea didn’t know much beyond that he’d started dealing, but if I can find someone at school that Fangs was dealing to, then maybe I can find someone who knew about his enemies.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“I guess.”

“What was he to you? A friend? Best friend? Something more?”

Betty shrugged. “We were close. He was always there for me. He was even my first time. It was messy and drunk, but he was considerate and always made sure I was okay. We didn’t work romantically but we never drifted apart. He was by my side through it all.”

Everybody should hear about the kind of guy Fangs was, how he didn’t deserve to die, and that he wasn’t just ‘another name added to the growing list of youngsters lost to gang violence’. Everybody should know, but no one was listening. No one, except for Veronica. So Betty continued.

“When my mom and I moved to the Southside when I was a kid, none of the other kids liked me. I was a Northsider, coming from a comfortable home and a picture perfect family. Obviously it wasn’t perfect if we were moving to the Southside. Anyway, I was crushed that I had to leave Archie behind and I was convinced that I would never find another friend like him. It’s Archie, so of course I didn’t, but Fangs was just as good in his own way. Sweet Pea and some other kids spent recess pushing me around because they thought I was weak. They said I would never last in the Southside. But one recess, behind the slide, Fangs pulled me aside and told me to punch him in the eye. He said that if I gave him a black eye, then no one would mess with Betty Cooper anymore. I thought he was an idiot, but I swear to god it worked. I didn’t get pushed around after that.”

Veronica remained silent and Betty didn’t say any more. She just watched Veronica as she got lost in thought, as if weighing her options. Betty never noticed how long her eyelashes were.

“Okay,” Veronica finally said.

“Okay?”

“Yes. He meant a lot to you and an injustice is being done in his death. I’ll help you find someone with information.”

“You’ll what?”

“How do you feel about going back to school tonight?”

Betty propped herself up on her elbows with a twist in her lips that almost resembled a smile. “Are you, Veronica Lodge, suggesting that we break into your precious Riverdale High?”

“Please, it’s hardly _my_ school, though I’m honored you think of me as some kind of Queen B. I gladly leave that title to your cousin. And yes, that is what I am suggesting to you, Betty Cooper.”

Betty laughed. It felt wrong to laugh on the same day her friend was discovered dead, but she couldn’t help it. The universe was playing tricks on her. “Alright then. Let’s break into the goddamn school. Shit, if ‘Daddy’ Lodge finds out about this, there will be two dead Serpents this week.”

Veronica looked as though she might slap her, but she didn’t, and Betty thought that maybe they’d work well together after all.

“What exactly did you have planned, princess?”

Since they'd gotten into the school they'd been silent, but Betty’s choice of words broke the peace. Veronica spun around on her heels in the middle of the dark hall, using her phone as a flashlight, and pointed a finger at Betty’s chest. “If we’re going to be working together, then the mocking is going to end. Got it?”

Betty rolled her eyes and raised her hands in surrender. “Whatever you say.”

Veronica returned the statement with a satisfied smile and Betty instantly regretted it. “Good. No one knows that Fangs’ murder could’ve been drug related, so my guess is that no one’s bothered to hide their stash. Not yet. That’s why we had to do this tonight.” She turned the light to the lockers. “Except there’s the question of how to get past all of these locks.”

“I’ll be right back. Hold that thought.”

A few minutes later, Betty returned… with a hammer.

“Betty, wait!”

But it was too late. Betty approached the first locker, tugged on the padlock, and smacked the side of it with the hammer, forcing it open. Veronica raised her arms in the air and dropped them dramatically. “Great. _That_ won’t prompt a school-wide investigation tomorrow.”

“Relax,” Betty sighed as she shifted through the books in her first victim’s locker. Nothing. She closed the door and reattached the lock with ease. “Forcing the mechanism to budge doesn’t break it.”

They continued the search for half an hour, making their way through half of the hall. They were coming up empty handed and growing impatient. Betty started hitting the locks harder and slamming each door shut when all she found were books and abandoned snacks. Veronica never said anything other than an exclamation of shock when Betty started making more noise. She knew how frustrated the girl must’ve been after the day she’d had.

“This is pointless,” Betty muttered.

Veronica frowned as Betty moved to the next locker and cracked it open. “We haven’t reached all of the lockers yet.”

Nope. Nothing in that one either. Betty let out an impatient groan and moved down to the next locker. “No, Veronica, this is _pointless._ As soon as they heard that Fangs was dead, everyone hid their stashes.”

“We’ll keep looking.”

“We’ve been here for almost an hour.”

“Half. And there’s still one more hall–”

“ _Fuck!_ Nothing in here either!”

This time, Betty held the hammer high above her head and brought it down on the next lock with enough force to break it open, completely unusable. Veronica cursed under her breath. The staff would be checking the cameras in the morning once someone reports that their locker has been broken into.

Except in this locker, tucked in the very back behind the textbooks, was a small baggie of white powder. Betty snatched it, and turned around to face Veronica with it hidden behind her back. She was biting her bottom lip. The look made Veronica smile, though confused. “What? Did you find something?”

“You were right,” Betty replied as she raised the baggie. Veronica’s mouth curled into a grin and she stepped forward to take it into her own hands as if to see if it was actually real.

“Well look at that, Serpent,” Veronica said in a low voice that suddenly made Betty realize that she was practically being pressed up against the lockers. The brunette’s gaze danced between Betty’s eyes and her lips as she took hold of the collar of her leather jacket, pulling her in. “We do make a pretty good team.”

Betty couldn’t help but smile crookedly back at her. It was a victory. “Do you know whose locker it is?”

Veronica pointed over to her own locker, then started counting down the row until she got to the one with the baggie in it. “Midge Klump… a River Vixen. That’s not going to go over well.”

Betty hummed as if she cared about the fate of the cheerleader, but her eyes were trained on Veronica. After a moment, she said, “So do you always get turned on when someone tells you that you’re right?”

“Those are my favorite words. I usually am right.”

“Want to go back to the motel room? I can’t interview her until tomorrow.”

“ _We_ can’t interview her until tomorrow. And no, I would like you to drive me home.”

Betty raised an eyebrow. At which statement, she wasn’t sure. Veronica let out a breathy laugh. “She’s more likely to talk if it’s someone she knows. You’ll only intimidate her into getting defensive and shutting up. I’m tired. I’ll need my sleep if I’m to make full use of my famous silver tongue tomorrow.”

Betty opened her mouth to comment on Veronica’s tongue but she was cut short by a quick kiss to her cheek.

“You understand, Betty. Close up the locker you just assaulted and let’s get out of here.”

Once again, Veronica turned on her heels with purpose and started down the hall to the exit, her pumps clicking powerfully with each step. All Betty could do until she collected herself was watch, admire, and worry about the change that was happening between them. 


	2. Chapter 2

They had devised their plan perfectly, with precision, and even some dramatic flair. When Midge Klump reached her locker the next morning at school, her brow furrowed and she slowly reached out and turned over the broken lock with a large, unmistakeable dent. Just as her heart started to race and her thoughts started going through the implications, Veronica flanked her and suddenly appeared over her shoulder, leaning in close, and tutted her tongue. “Oh, that doesn’t look good.”

Midge gasped and turned around, equally as spooked as she was angry. “Veronica, do you know something about this?”

“Well, I think we’d better find out. Come with me.”

Because it was Veronica Lodge, because Midge was nervous someone might’ve found out about the drugs and she could lose her spot on the team let alone her spot in school, she followed her with her head hung low like she was walking to her execution.

Not quite an executioner, Veronica was pleased. She did love an expertly planned machination.

Veronica took an unexpected turn into the newly reformed Blue and Gold office (thanks to newcomer and Serpent Jughead Jones), and held the door open for Midge to enter first. Midge ducked her head, and passed through the doorframe.

Inside, was Betty Cooper, sitting on one of the desks like she owned the place.

Midge saw her and immediately tried to back out, but Veronica had already closed the door behind them and was looking at her with an expectant smile. “Take a seat, Midge.”

There was a single chair in the middle of the floor, facing Betty. Midge eyed it and shook her head. “Just tell me what the hell is going on. What is this? Blackmail?”

Betty popped the bubblegum she was chewing and hopped down from the desk. “It doesn’t have to be. But we did find your little stash in your locker.”

Veronica, her arms crossed behind Midge, added, “All we want to do is ask some questions. About Fangs.”

Midge’s cheeks turned a deep shade of pink, which Betty took notice to. She asked, to the point, “Did Fangs sell you the drugs?”

Midge looked even more shocked to hear the suggestion of Fangs dealing to her than when the unlikely pair admitted to finding her stash. Her mouth opened and closed as she looked between the two as Veronica joined Betty’s side. “How did you find out about that? Was it Sweet Pea?”

Well, she got that one right on the money. Betty narrowed her eyes. “Why are _you_ talking to Sweet Pea? Fangs had the drugs, but what did Sweet Pea have to do with it?”

The anger started to win over behind Midge’s eyes and she aimed it directly at Betty. “You were never supposed to find out about the dealing. Fangs wanted to keep it from you _specifically_ because everything about the Serpents just had to be _perfect_ with you. But really you’re just overcompensating for the fact that you’re not a true Jones. You’ll always be a Cooper who should’ve stayed in the Northside with your actual family.”

Betty stepped forward until she was in Midge’s face and pointed a finger at her chest. Her nostrils flared. “And how the _hell_ do you get off on pretending to know anything about me?”

Midge folded her arms over her chest, suddenly tight-lipped. Veronica took a cautious step forward and placed a gentle hand on Betty’s shoulder, and directed her to back off with a light pull. Betty threw her hands up and turned around, walking back towards the desk she’d been sitting on. It was a lot to take in, but Veronica was focused on the task. She spoke softer and without pointed fingers. “Midge, Betty’s looking into who might’ve killed Fangs. She doesn’t have faith that the police are going to do much about it. How do you know all of this information about her?”

The short-haired girl only seemed to relax when she focused her defensive stare back at Veronica. After a moment of hard consideration, she sighed. “Well it’s no use hiding it now. Fangs and I were dating. In secret. He wanted to wait to tell Miss Temper over there because he didn’t know how to admit that he was dating a River Vixen and Northsider.”

Veronica glanced over her shoulder to find that Betty was doing the same at Veronica. They had the same guilty thought. All of a sudden, their own secret affair felt even dirtier than it already was. But now, it wasn’t the kind of dirty that made the sneaking around that much more exciting. Betty had a rock in her stomach weighing her down and she refused to turn around to face Midge. Veronica took the liberty of breaking the heavy silence. “If he confided in you for so much, did he ever mention any enemies? Rivals? Fights?”

“There was one. Fangs had just started and didn’t have the territorial zones down. He took up a corner that belonged to a Ghoulie and yeah, they fought. The same one found him a couple times to continue the fight, especially when he found out he was still dealing. Fangs wasn’t even on the Ghoulie’s side after the first time. The guy’s a psycho.”

“Did he give you a name?”

“Ollie Ortega.”

At that, Betty abruptly turned and stormed out of the room. Veronica started to follow, but a hand caught her arm. Midge looked at her, holding her in place, with glossy but determined eyes.

“I don’t know why you two are working together, but you’d better get the bastard.”

“Betty, slow down,” Veronica pleaded with Betty as she tried hard follow the girl who was making a beeline through the school’s parking lot to her car. She considered herself an expert in the art of walking with a purpose in high heels, but Betty was on a bullheaded mission. “What do you even plan on doing?”

“I looked him up on Instagram. He’s a tattoo artist at a shop on Maple.”

“And I ask again: What do you even plan on doing? Yell at him until he delivers himself to the police and confesses?”

Betty didn’t answer, which if she was being honest, did not serve to ease Veronica’s nerves in the slightest. When Betty reached her car, she unlocked the back door and threw her messenger bag into the back seat. Before she could get into the driver’s seat, Veronica stood in her way with her arms crossed. Betty refused to look her in the eye.

“Betty, you shouldn’t confront him alone.”

“Oh, and you’re the one to protect me?”

“I was thinking Sweet Pea and at least a small army at your back. You don’t know what you’re walking into. That tattoo shop, I can only assume, is in Ghoulie territory. You’re not going to catch him alone. And it’s not like you can simply arrest him.”

“I have other plans.”

Veronica huffed. There was a steely rage in Betty’s gorgeous green eyes that made her irises look uncharacteristically dark. Veronica had always sensed the darkness she tried to keep locked up inside her. It was something she admired about the Serpent, something that she felt drawn to and explained her initial attraction; despite the gang, despite the countless fights in the halls they’ve shared and the comparing her to Hiram, Veronica knew where it all came from, or the animosity towards her, at least. Betty was always determined to do good for the people she claimed responsibility for. But she’s been pushed to her limits and that darkness was starting to seep through her fortress walls. It wasn’t something that Veronica’s gentleness or command could patch up this time.

“You don’t have to be involved in this anymore, Veronica. Thank you for helping me with Midge. Now I have to go handle the rest and avenge my dead best friend, or who I thought was my best friend. Go back to class… and get out of my way.”

Betty couldn’t tell from the look on Veronica’s face if she was hurt or not–– Veronica had a talent of only showing the emotions she wanted people to see–– but the raven haired girl stepped out of her way. Betty wasted no time and got into the driver’s seat before driving off towards the Southside, leaving the Veronica behind. As she entered the address of the tattoo parlor into the GPS on her phone, she took in a shaky breath, wondering if telling Veronica not to join her was the right idea. Her gut told her no, but her gut was also telling her that she’d better get that switchblade out from the glove compartment and remind herself how to use the thing before she charged in to face Fangs’ murderer head-on.

She’d been parked across the street from the tattoo parlor for nearly an hour now, waiting for at least _one_ of the several Ghoulies inside to leave and raise her chances of making it in and out of there alive. The switchblade that was now in the pocket of her jeans felt like it was a thousand pounds. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, white-knuckled, even though she was parked.

Why the _fuck_ did she have to go be a bitch and send Veronica on her way?

As if to mock her decision, plastered on the door of the newspaper vending machine she was parked in front of was a smiling photo of Hiram Lodge under the headline: _RIVERDALE PROPERTY VALUES TO RISE BY 2023 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO DECADES._

Betty glared at the photo as if he were there in person. While everything was falling apart with Fangs’ death, the SoDale project was continuing on. But Betty could fix it all. She could avenge Fangs and save her family and the rest of the gang from losing their homes.

Why did Veronica have to be the daughter of the man she hated the most?

She tore her eyes from the newspaper and released the breath she had been holding before finally unbuckling her seat belt and stepping out of the car. It was stupid. She felt stupid for even being there. She wished Veronica was there to talk her down, but she’d done a great job of making her feel unwelcome. Besides, Veronica seemed to have forgotten who they truly were to each other. Yeah, maybe who she really needed was an actual friend like Toni, who would probably murder her right about now.

Betty rounded the front of the car and started towards the tattoo parlor. It was a beaten up looking little place. She certainly wouldn’t trust anyone there to give her a tattoo, but then again, she _did_ let Toni give her the Serpent tattoo in her trailer. It must’ve been the Ghoulie sticker on the window that set her off. She paid it no heed in her decision to continue forward and pushed open the door while she reached for the switchblade in her pocket, but her hand froze when she took in what was in front of her.

Five Ghoulies, in their various outfits of denim and spiked studs and skull patches, stood around one of the chairs, upon which were flowers and a printed photograph of a young, heavily tatted man shooting the camera a toothy grin. The Ghoulies started when they looked up and saw that their visitor wasn’t a mourner but a Serpent. “The fuck are you doing here, snake?” seethed a tall, lanky one wearing a vest.

Another– with a shaved head and built like a tank– was the first one to step up to her. Betty took an instinctive step back. The man blew air out of his nose like a bull. “Not today. Get out.”

Betty swallowed and stammered. “W– where’s Ollie Ortega?”

The tank of a man raised his hand and for a second, Betty thought she was about to be physically thrown out of the parlor, but when he brought his hand down, it was to point at the photograph rested on the chair. He said simply, “You’re too late. Shot last night. Don’t know who. Now leave, before you meet the same fate. Let us be.”

Betty left the shop in a daze, but luckily in one piece. Her balance was thrown off like she no longer had a grip on this reality. A Serpent and a Ghoulie, both shot dead by an unknown person, perhaps even the same one. So the news reporter and Sweet Pea were both wrong. Everyone was wrong.

With trembling hands, Betty drew her phone from the pocket of her jacket and tapped on the name of the contact she needed the most right now.

It went to voicemail.

“Veronica? The news report was wrong. It’s not gang violence. At least, I have a very strong feeling it isn’t. It’s something else. Fangs was murdered and I don’t even know if it was related to the dealing anymore. I… need your help. I can’t solve this by myself.”

“I know.”

Betty whirled around to find Veronica Lodge, standing there in all her glory and a black coat that likely cost more than Betty’s ancient, dented up car, and looked like she just saw a ghost. Half of Betty’s mouth twisted into a smile of disbelief as she put away her phone. “Veronica, what are you–”

“A taxi, Betty. I took a taxi.”

The frown on Veronica’s face said it all. Betty started forward, as if she intended to give her a hug, but she stopped herself when she realized what she was doing. She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. “Yeah, that’s not like you, princess. Why did you–”

“You weren’t coming back to class. I got worried that you had just driven off to your death. And then when I got here I heard your touching little speech and realized I should never have let you do this by yourself in the first place.”

Betty fought another smile and shook her head. She had no idea why the New Yorker would come all the way to the Southside with the intention of rescuing her, but she knew better than to question it too much. “So? Are you in?”

Veronica smirked. “Well it’s like you said: You can’t do this without me. With your passion to solve a mystery and my well-polished scheming, Fangs’ murderer doesn’t stand a chance. Now, please, let’s leave this place. Immediately. And I get to choose the radio station this time. I think I’ve earned it with my chivalrous ride to the Southside in my grimy yellow chariot of death.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that… but I'll still try.”


	3. Chapter 3

_“I’ll be damned, Betty Cooper. Have you reconsidered my offer?”_

_“One of your runners just got shot, Penny. I’m not dealing for you.”_

_“Yeah, that wasn’t the greatest publicity for my case. FP’s going to be on my ass more than ever.”_

_“Such a shame. Why did you start this up anyway?”_

_“I got a modest donation from someone who shared the same views as me. The Serpents are going to lose territory and control to the Ghoulies if we don’t step things up.”_

_“Modest donation?”_

_“Anonymous. So don’t go asking.”_

Betty poked at her food with her fork as Sweet Pea told a ridiculous story about some fight that was likely fictional to his audience of Serpents. A few cafeteria tables to her right sat Veronica with the Pussycats, Kevin, and Archie. Veronica happened to look up at the same time as her. The Vixen gave her a secret smile.

“Hey.”

Toni’s voice brought her back to the present as she sat down across from her with a tray of food. “You look miserable, Betty.” So as not to garner the attention of the other Serpents, still invested in Sweet Pea’s mythology, she mouthed: _Fangs?_

Betty gave her a nod and resumed poking the overcooked scrambled eggs. “I found out he was hiding a relationship with Midge Klump from me.”

“He was going to tell you.”

“Yeah, that’s what I keep hearing. So you knew?”

“I’m sorry, Betty.”

It was like being broken up with, even though the relationship was platonic and Fangs had passed. Realizing that their friendship wasn’t as strong as she had felt was as close to a broken heart as she’d ever experienced.

Well, maybe there was one other time.

“I’m not going to start listing off all the reasons why he felt that he couldn’t tell you,” Toni said in response to her friend’s silence.

“There’s a list?” Betty said it half-jokingly. Bitter. She got the gist from Midge. Maybe she can be a little intense sometimes, and maybe she expected a lot from the people around her to make up for her own shortcomings, like being the only one in her household whose last name wasn’t ‘Jones’. But what Toni didn’t know was that she was a hypocrite who was not only sleeping with a River Vixen in secret, that River Vixen was the daughter of the man who sought to force the Serpents out of their homes.

Toni smirked and shook her head. “Betty, if he had known that he wouldn’t get the chance to tell you everything, then that’s not how he would’ve left things. Don’t take it to heart.” With a shrug and raised eyebrows, she turned her focus to her food, stabbing the green beans like she had a vendetta against them. “We all have our shit. Can’t be an open book a hundred percent of the time.”

Betty checked the clock on the dashboard of her car for the umpteenth time. Hard rock blasted from the speakers to drown out her impatience. Every other car in the parking lot had left. They liked to be careful, but this was ridiculous. Betty took out her cell phone and started texting. Then the passenger side door swung open without warning, thanks to the loud music.

“Shit! Fuck, Veronica!”

The girl in question stepped into the car and immediately turned the volume down until it was barely audible. “Really?” With a slam, she closed the door behind her.

Betty’s hands fell onto the steering wheel, her lips in a firm straight line. She eyed Veronica’s Vixens uniform. “Practice ended ages ago. What took you so long?”

“Someone invited another someone into the locker room to make out. I had to hide until they were done.”

Betty frowned. “Ew.”

Veronica let out a laugh. “Oh, _now_ you’re a prude.”

Damn, there’s that judgmental side of her that Fangs must’ve been afraid of. Betty’s mouth twisted as she looked out at the empty parking lot ahead of her. Veronica’s humor dropped. She angled herself towards Betty and reached out to tug on the elbow of her leather jacket. “Hey. I admit the dangerous, broody pout is what attracted me to you in the first place, but something’s really gotten to you. Does it have anything to do with that conversation you had with Toni at lunch?”

Once again, Veronica had been observing more than Betty had suspected. Not a bad quality to have in a sleuthing partner. Though maybe it was a horrible quality to have in a hook up. Betty shrugged. “I was just thinking about what Midge had said about Fangs keeping things from me. Toni confirmed it. It’s not a big deal. I chose the Southside. They didn’t. I tried to make up for it in a lot of ways I guess could be taken as ‘overbearing’.”

To her surprise, when she looked back at Veronica, she was smiling. Betty’s own lips curled softly and she chuckled nervously. “What?”

“Betty, you’re passionate and intense and you care more than a lot of people around here. You have a good heart, despite the torture you put me through when you and the Serpents moved into Riverdale High. You did it because you cared deeply about your friends. It drove me up the wall, yes, but I think we got that sorted out. You’re not overbearing. They just see how amazing you are and they don’t want to disappoint.”

Betty didn’t realize until now, but her grip on the steering wheel was so tight it was hurting her fingers. All she could manage to say in return was a whispered, “Wow.”

“I know how to cheer you up. I’ve been thinking about the investigation, and I think we’re missing a base of operations. You know, a place to put our giant cork board and red string.” Veronica shrugged one shoulder, and for a moment, Betty thought she was acting shy for the first time in her life. “Well… my parents would’ve left by now, and they aren’t coming back until tomorrow.”

“So?”

Veronica’s brow raised as she looked at Betty like she’d just said something offensive. Her message wasn’t getting across. So she explained carefully. “Betty… my parents aren’t coming home tonight. So I’ll be alone. ….I want you to come over to my place. Maybe stay the night?”

The Pembrooke. The place where Hiram Lodge lived. The place where Hiram Lodge worked on his business and made plans to ‘renovate’ the Southside. The place where Jughead had just interviewed Hiram about the SoDale project for a hard-hitting, unforgiving Blue and Gold article yesterday. The place where… Veronica slept.

Betty’s lips formed a circle as she finally got it and let out a little “ _oh.”_

Veronica made Betty leave her Serpent jacket in the car to avoid unnecessary attention on the way up to the apartment. She even asked her to take off the sleeveless band shirt, like the white tank top and dark jeans that were left wouldn’t turn any heads. Betty took it one step further and tied her hair back into a ponytail. It earned a smile that made Betty feel like she had just handed her the world, so of course she couldn’t just leave that be. “Don’t get used to the cleaned-up look, princess. You’re not turning me into a prim and proper Northsider. Forget it.”

“I don’t want you to change, B. It’s just nice seeing more of your face, is all.”

With the constant pressure she put on herself to be better in just about every aspect of her life, hearing those words from someone struck a chord. They used to avoid talking. Every secret interaction had a single goal in mind. But since Fangs’ death, Veronica has been more attentive to her, offering her thoughts a lot more, and taking control of situations like it’s so Betty didn’t have to. It hit her in that moment, as her investigative partner got out of the car, that Veronica was starting to care. And maybe Betty selfishly wanted to let her.

_Did she just call me ‘B’?_

The elevator ride was tense and Veronica could sense the nervousness radiating off of Betty. She linked their arms. “I got the text from them during practice that they had left for New York to stay the night. They’re not there, I promise.”

Hiram would surely recognize Betty from the numerous protests she and her step-brother led on his construction sites, and the not-so-kind signs they carried and held defiantly in the air. Betty swallowed thickly despite the reassurance while Veronica remained unperturbed.

The inside of the apartment made Betty immediately hurry to take her boots off. The dark wood floors had a matte finish and the white carpets were likely more expensive than the rent on FP’s trailer. Her part-time job at Tall Boy’s auto shop couldn’t begin to pay for any damages the dirt on her boots might cause. Veronica decided to pay Betty’s cautious behavior no heed and walked straight for her room, but the Serpent knew what she was thinking. The supposedly badass gang member may have a hardened exterior but there was something inside that Veronica was curious about. Betty huffed and followed closely.

Selfish. Letting Veronica in was selfish. It was a false promise that this could be anything other than casual.

“Holy shit, that’s your _bed?_ ”

The headboard and the baseboard were both white and cushioned. There were numerous pillows that were floral and lilac, and the sheets were lilac to match. On top was an enormous white fur blanket that Betty immediately made her way over to run her fingers through. She nearly missed the rest of the room.

The wallpaper was variously patterned but kept to the theme of white and lilac. There was a vanity with an array of perfumes arranged next to the mirror. One of the perfume bottles was halfway empty. That must be the one that Veronica always wears that Betty could still smell on her own clothes after their nights together.

The room was fit for a princess. Said princess walked right by the gold floor length mirror to the walk in closet and opened the door. She looked back to Betty expectantly. “Come on. I have a surprise for you.”

Amused, Betty decided to humor her and followed her inside after setting her boots down by the door. She was about to comment on the incredible amount of dresses and collared blouses that Veronica owned but she didn’t want to give her the impression that she discouraged the look. But now they were just two girls standing in a closet and staring at each other. “Is the surprise… a makeover? I thought you didn’t want me to change.”

At that, Veronica turned and parted the hanging dresses off to either side, revealing a giant cork board hanging on the wall behind them. Betty’s mouth dropped open. Pinned on one side was a small clipping of a back page news article with Ollie Ortega’s picture. On the other side, a rather flattering and smiling portrait of Fangs Fogarty.

Betty’s brows knit together. She reached out and brushed the tips of her fingers over the photo in silence. _I’ll be damned, Fangs. We’re really going to solve this for you._

After a moment, which Veronica graciously let her have, Betty dropped her arm back by her side and turned to Veronica with glossy eyes. “You really weren’t kidding about the cork board. I’m disappointed by the lack of red string––”

The raven-haired girl reached into a drawer and pulled out a ball of red yarn. Betty let out a joyful laugh. Veronica grinned. “That’s not the best part. There’s more.” From the same drawer, Veronica pulled out some papers. Grabbing a couple of pins, she stuck them to the board under Fangs’ picture. “I pulled some strings with Kevin. He got me the full police report on Fangs’ murder, which happens to include a description of the gun that was used to shoot the bullet they extracted during the autopsy. We have Fangs’ family to thank for pushing the procedure.” She reached out and tapped her finger to a line on the reports. “We’re looking for a .38 Special Revolver. Not found on the scene.”

Betty’s breath had been stolen away. Her mouth was agape as she watched Veronica talk. The girl from New York was the best thing that could’ve happened to her in this exact period of time. Maybe their attraction to each other had been nothing less than fate at work. “Do you have a blank paper and a pen?”

Veronica handed her the items. Betty drew a question mark and ripped it off to pin it to the board just off-center. “I talked to Penny Peabody. She’s a Serpent who’s been running the new drug business. Yeah, don’t tell anybody that. That’s between us. Unfortunately she’s kind of important to the gang. Fangs was working for her. She said she finally got her wish of starting up a drug empire for the Serpents when someone made an anonymous donation for the cause.”

“We have a murder weapon and a mystery role to investigate.”

“That we do.”

They looked at each other, each with their own crooked smiles, staring at the other’s lips. They really had a chance to solve this. As a team, they were a force to be reckoned with. It was real. This was a real life investigation.

It was Betty who caved first. Veronica was standing there all proud of the work she’d accomplished in her bright cheer uniform and had given Betty more than just kind hearted words that were just as appreciated. Betty cupped Veronica’s jaw and slid her fingers through her hair to the back of her head and surged forward, guiding her into a kiss that filled her chest with something hot and unstable. Veronica eagerly threw an arm around Betty’s neck and pressed her body into her. They were both breathless upon contact.

Betty wasn’t sure if Veronica was still into the idea of their casual hookups–– especially since it was just barely bordering on casual–– since they hadn’t been together since before Fangs’ death, but then Veronica’s arm left its place around Betty’s neck and suddenly there were fingers making quick work of Betty’s belt.

What little breath she had left got caught in her throat, and Betty pulled away just enough to catch Veronica’s dark gaze. Her thumb came up to wipe away some lipstick smeared at the corner of her mouth. “I think it’s time we come out of the closet. Literally.”

“Shh, you’re ruining it. Bed. Now.” The way Veronica’s voice went all high-pitched in the moment made Betty’s knees weak, but she was happy to oblige.

Her phone lit up in the middle of the night, waking her up. Betty squinted at the phone on the nightstand that both her and Veronica were turned to. But Veronica remained asleep, perfectly content in Betty’s arms. Betty propped herself up on an elbow and smiled in the dark as she looked down at Veronica’s sleeping form. Something was different now. A romp in a sleazy motel room was one thing, but waking up naked spooning the other girl in _her_ bed in _her_ home wasn’t something Betty could shrug off as casual.

Selfish. They can never have more than this.

Betty unwrapped herself from Veronica and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. It was a text from Jughead. Betty rolled over and unlocked her phone.

[ Jughead Jones 11:32pm ] I got that article put together.

[ Jughead Jones 11:32pm ] He’ll hate it.

Betty almost forgot. That’s right. Jughead was just in this same apartment yesterday, interviewing Hiram in his office. Betty responded.

[ Betty Cooper 11:33pm ] Make it hurt. Show everyone the ugly side of his little project.

After a moment, Betty looked to the closet. Now that they had some clues, they would start needing to look at suspects for whoever was funding the Serpent’s drug trade. Once they knew who it was, it could give them a narrower window of suspects who might’ve killed Fangs. She’d talk to Veronica about her suspicions tomorrow. But whoever it was would have to be at least moderately well-off. Clifford Blossom. The Blossoms loved their power and control and wealth. Sierra McCoy. The mayor could’ve been blackmailed into funding the Serpents after the news of the SoDale project got out.

A knot formed in her stomach.

Hal Cooper.

He certainly had the guts for it.

And of course… Hiram Lodge.

Would Veronica bring up her own father as a suspect? They didn’t talk about Hiram much. They knew better, given their different perspectives about the man. Betty’s fingers lingered over the keyboard on her phone. Then she made a decision and responded.

[ Betty Cooper 11:37pm ] When you were interviewing him, did you notice anything strange in his office or in his behavior?

[ Jughead Jones 11:38pm ] His whole life is strange. He holds himself well, though. Like a man with something to hide.

Betty rolled her eyes. If there was anyone who could beat her at the ‘it’s a conspiracy’ game, it was her step-brother. That wasn’t entirely helpful. But maybe she thought too soon.

[ Jughead Jones 11:40pm ] Hermione showed me into his office. When I went in, he seemed rather quick to put away some paper into his desk.

[ Betty Cooper 11:40pm ] Where in his desk?

[ Jughead Jones 11:41pm ] Top right drawer.

[ Jughead Jones 11:41pm ] Betty… breaking into the Pembrooke is a death wish. We’ll figure out some other way to expose him.

[ Betty Cooper 11:42pm ] You’re right. We’ll talk about this another time. Goodnight.

[ Jughead Jones 11:42pm ] Wait, where are you? Are you spending another school night at the Whyte Wyrm?

Betty took her phone and carefully peeled the insanely soft blankets from her body as she slid out of the bed without disturbing Veronica’s sleep. Her heart hammered in her throat as she put her tank top back on and her underwear and tip toed out of the bedroom.

Yeah, she was really doing this.

It wasn’t hard to find the office. What was hard was stomaching the giant painted portrait of Veronica hanging behind the grand desk with its own display light shining on it like Veronica herself was watching her and judging her choices. A cold shiver went up and down her spine. But she pressed on.

The top right hand drawer was locked, which Betty expected. She bent one of the bobby pins she took from Veronica’s vanity on her way out of the bedroom and flattened the other, forming a makeshift lock picking kit. Several minutes later, and the locking mechanism was sprung.

There were only a few papers and folders inside, but the one that stuck out was on top. There were a few columns of numbers with dollar signs leading the rows, and a list of odd names to the left.

Angel Avery. Denis Randall. Nicky. Lenny. The Captain. Weird the names used for a financial document. She fingered through the other papers in the drawer. They all had Hiram’s name and information and an elegant logo of his initials printed at the top left of every document, but not on the one Betty was holding. It wasn’t much, but it was suspicious that he was quick to hide it from Jughead and that it was in a locked drawer with no personal claim to the report.

Betty held it up and took a picture with her phone before returning it to the drawer and making her way back into Veronica’s bedroom. Even if Veronica didn’t name him as a suspect herself, Betty knew better than to exclude a suspect just because he was Veronica’s father. The thought crossed her mind that if she could expose Hiram as a someone who’s been funding a drug empire, then maybe the SoDale project can be put to an end for good. It should make her excited, make her buzz with energy and righteousness that she may be able to save her family and and her friends, but as she took her clothes off and slid back under the sheets, she settled her head on the pillow next to Veronica and studied the way her black hair cascaded down her shoulders and onto the bed, though a little messed up from the time they’d spent together earlier. Maybe a lot messed up.

Veronica wasn’t hers. She never could be. But if Veronica found out that Betty was investigating her father, then she might not be able to have her at all. 


	4. Chapter 4

Betty let out a grunt as she was pushed up against the bookshelf. Veronica’s lips followed and were on her own again without much time to take a breath. It was risky making out in the school library, even if they did choose the farthest corner from the entrance, but since that night at the Pembrooke they haven’t been able to keep their hands off each other. Something about Veronica setting up that cork board in the back of her closet really had the girl stuck in Betty’s head. And Veronica was not one to complain about the attention.

Betty groaned in Veronica’s mouth as she felt hands slip under her leather jacket and smooth over the mesh shirt and bra she wore underneath. Apparently restless, one hand dropped to her hip and teased the fishnet leggings under her dark denim shorts. Betty chuckled into the kiss, musing at how dangerous Veronica–– the heiress in a small black dress and silver embroidered collar with her signature pearl necklace–– made her feel. It was easiest to pretend they were only playing a game when they were taking risks. The world around them melted away.

“Is something funny, Serpent?” Veronica breathed out as she planted a hand on Betty’s chest to pin her to the bookshelf, separating them. Betty grinned and bit her lip as her eyes dragged over the perfect figure before her. Veronica looked like she was about to devour her.

“I never thought I’d be so attracted to a woman in heels that cost more than my education.”

Veronica grasped the hair at the back of Betty’s neck and closed in, whispering into her lips, “You have good taste. Wait until I get you alone and you see me in _only_ these heels.”

Betty reached back behind her head to find something to hold onto, but ended up pushing the books on the shelf so far back that they fell to the floor on the opposite side. Veronica was the only quick thinking one and suddenly disappeared behind the end of the aisle as the librarian turned the corner to find Betty looking like she was attempting to be absorbed by the shelves. She scrambled to stand up straight and attempt to fix her jacket as the librarian tutted her tongue. “Destruction of school property? Detention tomorrow after school, Cooper. And you have lipstick _all_ over your face.”

When the librarian was gone, Betty slumped back against the shelves with a huff and tried to wipe her face clean. Veronica appeared back from around the corner with a smarmy grin. “Oops.”

“Yeah, you seem heartbroken for me.”

It didn’t make Veronica look any less proud of herself as the raven-haired girl moved in close to wipe her thumb over the smeared lipstick at the corner of Betty’s mouth. Her lips parted, and her eyes met Betty’s… but something changed, and her gaze went back to Betty’s lips as her mouth closed.

Betty narrowed her eyes. “What? What were you going to say?”

“It’s best that I don’t.”

Betty started to argue, but Veronica cut her off. “I convinced Cheryl to host a sleepover for the Vixens. I’m going to use that opportunity to sleuth at Thornhill and see if I can find any evidence of Mr. Blossom being a drug lord.”

“Oh my god.” Betty blinked at her, looking her up and down for a moment, before meeting her eyes again for a very sincere: “Holy shit you’re so sexy.”

Veronica threw her head back and let out a laugh as Betty took the opportunity to plant kisses along Veronica’s neck and snake an arm around the shorter girl’s waist to keep her steady. They both heard the librarian’s chair squeak across the floor and the approaching footsteps that time. Veronica kissed Betty’s cheek. “I’ll text you how it goes. Bye!”

Once again, Veronica was off and only Betty remained as the librarian turned around the corner with a scowl. All Betty could do was shrug and turn her palms to the ceiling.

“ _Out!”_

Later that school night, the Whyte Wyrm was packed with party-goers both young and old for FP’s birthday. Did he want a party? No. But he didn’t complain when Tall Boy opened the front doors to the entire gang raising their mugs and bottles in his honor, either. It didn’t take long for a high stakes pool tournament to start or for a tense darts competition to start inducing temper tantrums in the more prideful individuals. The red neon lights reflecting off the old wood that made up the bar, the floors and the walls created a dark atmosphere that many who disliked dive bars would find intimidating, but to everyone here, it was home.

There was one neon sign that gave off a green glow, which was that of a snake head. It looked down at the party, observing the snake embroidered jackets and tattoos. They weren’t just a bunch of people celebrating a birthday. It was a family, a collective group who would literally die for each other. Betty polished off the rest of her beer, sitting on a stool at the bar, facing the group with her back leaning against the counter, and mused at how this was the only place where she felt like she could breathe as the alcohol warmed her stomach. There was a person out there who had the same effect on her, but she wasn’t supposed to think about her when she wasn’t around.

She barely set the empty bottle on the counter when Toni pushed a fresh bottle in her direction from across the bar. Betty chuckled. “Trying to get me drunk?”

Toni came over and leaned over the bar. “Nah. You just seemed like you could use it. You’ve checked the time on your phone like, ten times in the past half hour. You got someplace to be?”

Well, that was embarrassing. She didn’t realize someone was watching her that closely. Around the same time that the party started was when Cheryl’s sleepover was supposed to start. She hadn’t received a text from Veronica yet, though realistically, she wouldn’t be getting any updates for a while. If at all. If Veronica was in control of a situation, which she normally was, Betty would hear nothing and be forced to trust that Veronica had everything handled. Veronica most likely just liked to keep her wondering.

Apparently it worked.

Betty didn’t know if she liked that. She particularly didn’t like not knowing whether she was pining for information on her cousin’s father or for something else entirely. She took the fresh bottle and spun around on the stool to face her friend. “No. But… I think I might leave the party early.”

“Why’s that?”

“I love FP and all, but it got me thinking about my real father. I think I have to pay him a visit tonight.”

“Shit. I’ll get you a stronger drink then.”

“You’re not going to try to stop me?”

“Your bio-father’s a dick. And scary, from what you’ve told me of him. But once you have your reasons for things, there’s no stopping you. Just remember that you got that from being a bull-headed Serpent, not from Hal.”

Toni had the superpower of not only seeing right through her, but also knowing exactly what to say to boost her spirits or get her head on straight when required. The pink-haired Serpent licked her lips as Betty smiled down at her beer. “Can I ask you why you want to see him?”

Betty’s smile faded. She shrugged and scratched the back of her neck. “I don’t necessarily want to _see_ him, per se… I just want to see what’s been going on. See how Polly’s doing since she graduated last year.”

Toni’s eyes narrowed. _About that ‘seeing right through her’ thing…._ “You’ve avoided those two for years. What’s making you want to check up on them now?”

It wasn’t the right time to tell Toni about her investigation into Fangs’ death. Once she brought that up, the topic of Veronica wouldn’t be too far behind. So Betty took several large gulps of her beer and set it down on the counter. “Never mind all of that. Why don’t you get someone else to man the bar and play a drinking game with me? I’m not making a trip to suburbia without some shots in my system.”

Toni complied, graciously, and even Sweet Pea came around to join them for the stupid games they came up with. _A shot if Mustang throws a chair during that darts game. A shot for each spontaneous drunken speech FP gives us. Betty has to take a shot for each time she looks down at her damn phone._ Needless to say, the three of them quickly grew happy, red-faced, and loose-tongued. Sweet Pea had wandered off to bother Jughead who barely left his father’s side the entire night while Betty and Toni shied away from the party together to have a conversation at the corner of the room, laughing like children.

“Do you remember my Serpent dance?”

Toni, back against the wall, slapped her hand on Betty’s shoulder and let out a dramatic groan. “I can’t believe you broke into the Whyte Wyrm for _weeks_ to practice without anyone noticing. But it paid off, I’d say.”

Betty grinned, her eyes crinkling, and drunkenly swayed toward Toni. Neither of them would be able to recall who actually made the first move, or if it was just a misreading of signals, but before Betty knew it, she was kissing Toni Topaz. It’d been a year since their last similar encounter and something had definitely changed. Their lips moved together, soft, comforting, but the kind of comfort one felt when being cared for by a friend. There was no heat. Not like there was with Veronica, in the library at school, or in the backseat of her car, or that one passionate night at the Pembrooke.

 _Fuck._ Even while making out with another girl, Veronica found a way to become the center of her attention.

“You… okay?”

Betty opened her eyes to find Toni looking at her. The other girl rolled her eyes, but there was a smile there. “You kinda just stopped there,” she said.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m sort of, uh… thinking about becoming serious with someone, anyway.”

Betty tilted her head. “What? Who? Toni, that’s great.”

Toni’s expression fell. For the first time in a long time, she looked… nervous? Guilty? Toni answered, “Since I’m very much under the influence of some liquid courage, I guess I’d better just get it out now. Please don’t be mad. It just _happened._ ”

“Who is it, Toni?”

“Cheryl. Your cousin, Betty.”

“…I have to go visit Hal.”

“Come on, Betty––”

But Betty was already cutting a straight (maybe a little wobbly) line through the crowd to the exit, and she was already opening the Uber app to face a greater evil than her best friend dating her satan-spawned, cold-hearted cousin who seemed to have it out for her no matter how little they actually interacted. Another Serpent, dating a Vixen. The forbidden love trope was hitting the merging of their schools hard. But as terrible and selfish and unbearable as her cousin Cheryl was, at least Clifford Blossom wasn’t forcing them from their homes.

She’d apologize for her harsh reaction tomorrow. But there was only a certain amount of time before the alcohol would wear off and she’d come to her senses about investigating her own father at all.

Betty finally reached her childhood home after the Uber had dropped her off a couple of blocks away. There was no car parked in front of it. It was some miracle, too good to be true, that her biological father didn’t seem to be home at this time of night. She concentrated hard, getting her feet to carry her to the front door. Her heart was beating so loud in her ears that she could barely hear her own thoughts.

She wanted to get this over with, like ripping off a bandaid. He was suspected of being the mystery donor to the Serpent’s budding drug empire, which meant he could provide a clue to who killed Fangs. But maybe there was another reason why she was so eager to investigate him. If he was guilty of funding a drug business in Riverdale, and she could find evidence for it, it could validate those memories of him and the reason why she left with her mother for the Southside.

It was easy to get in, thanks to a key hidden in one of the plants in the front yard. The interior of the house was more difficult to navigate, thanks to a drunken attention span though she could feel herself sobering up as things got more serious. Every bit of evidence that Betty and Alice had once existed in the house was gone. The pictures lining the walls were of Hal and Polly– both happy– when she was younger. There didn’t seem to be any recent photos so far. What was also new was the grand piano in the living room.

Hal was always supportive of Polly’s talents.

Betty ran her fingers over the piano’s cover, shaking in the dark, and looked up to discover a neatly framed River Vixens uniform that caught her breath. Of course her older sister had gone and become a cheerleader. She was probably brilliant at it, too. Betty wondered how she and Cheryl must’ve gotten along. _That damn cousin of theirs._

Right, this wasn’t the time to reminisce. She had a goal in mind. So she climbed up the stairs, cautious around each corner just in case someone was there, despite how empty the house seemed. The hallways felt never-ending and narrow, but she finally reached the master bedroom. With a trembling hand, she turned the doorknob and pushed it open.

Goddamn that creaky door. Betty refused to breathe until she was able to step inside and find the bed made and vacant.

Okay, now time to be quick.

The closet was first. It was filled with a criminal amount of polo shirts, but there was nothing suspicious. The bookshelf contained your run of the mill accounts on journalism, and none of them were hollowed out to hide… anything. Shit, what was she even looking for? The sock drawer was a sock drawer. There was even a drawer for Hal’s rolled up belts and a couple of watches. Under the bed? No monsters. Not even a hint that he was one.

Betty felt close to tears. Was her recollection of her childhood a lie? Was Hal an innocent man who would’ve been as supportive of her as he was with Polly, given some time? Thoughts of the investigation went by the wayside. The search became something a lot more personal.

The nightstand gave her the answer she was looking for. She pulled open the drawer and froze, her eyes growing wide at the gun and the ammo that rolled towards her with the momentum. Hal slept with a gun by his bedside. Why? What was he afraid of?

The gun was a pistol, not a revolver like Veronica had said was the murder weapon, so he may be in the clear for that. But it was still a clue. Betty took her phone from her pocket and unlocked it to take a picture. She tapped a few buttons, turning on the flash, practically vibrating at this point and very excited to get out of there. But before she could take the picture, a hand clasped down on her shoulder.

Betty shot up and spun around, falling backward into the nightstand and knocking over the lamp with a loud _crash_. Standing before her was a much older version of the Polly she remembered, holding a bat, and looking like she was staring at a ghost from her past.

There was a small twitch at the corner of her older sister’s mouth as her eyes scanned Betty’s features and realized who the intruder was. Polly released a breath and lowered the bat. “…Elizabeth? Betty, is that really you?”

Polly didn’t deserve a sister who abandoned her in the middle of a messy divorce, who threw it all away for practically nothing without much of an explanation. Hal _did_ treat her older sister better. She wasn’t going to put a wedge in that.

She also wouldn’t have sought out a reunion, but if she could’ve chosen how it happened, it would’ve been far different than this. Breaking into her home, rummaging through her father’s things, wearing a leather jacket sporting a gang symbol and smelling like alcohol while Polly stood there looking… absolutely perfect. Even in pajamas.

But Betty still smiled. She wanted to hug her and cry and embrace a part of her family that she’s been missing, but her phone vibrated three times in her hand. The screen lit up with texts from Veronica.

[ Veronica Lodge 1:23am ] SOS

[ Veronica Lodge 1:23am ] He’s going to catch me

[ Veronica Lodge 1:23am ] Help me Betty

The smile was wiped from her face. She looked at Polly and stuttered. “I have–– I have to go.” She pushed past her sister without so much as an apology or a promise for trying this reunion thing again.

On her fast dash down the hall and down the stairs, she could hear Polly shouting for her. “ _Betty? Betty, wait! Please!_ ”


	5. Chapter 5

[ Betty Cooper 1:30am ] I’m on my way

The Uber ride to Thornhill was full of silence and foreboding signs that things would just continue to not go her way. Betty stared at the cellphone in her hands, waiting for a follow up text that Veronica had figured it out herself, gotten herself out of the situation, and everything was okay. Honestly, she was just waiting for any sign of life. But nothing came. The sound of water droplets hitting the car windows was the only thing that made her tear her eyes from the screen of her phone. It started raining.

The car broke from the trees as they approached the winding path leading to her cousin’s home. Betty swallowed thickly. In the middle of the night when it’s raining and there wasn’t a single light in the windows, it could be the beginning of her own personal Lovecraftian novel where she slowly loses her mind to the ginger Old Ones within. Or, if they just added a couple of looming spires, it could be a gothic castle. Except instead of vampires taking residence, it was a bunch of cheerleaders having a sleepover and a possible drug-lording family.

Close enough.

She had the Uber let her out before the tires reached the gravelly path. By the time she reached the front door, her hair was damp and her clothes weren’t much better off. Her jacket protected her mesh ensamble. When she stepped inside–– someone must’ve forgotten to lock the front door as the guests were rolling in–– the beads of water on the leather rolled down off her shoulders and sleeves and landed on the floor with a soft _plat._

The large staircase that split off into two different directions to two different wings planted many doubts that she would be able to find Veronica before someone else caught her breaking in. She checked her phone again. No new texts. But that last one gave her the courage to get started in her search.

[ Veronica Lodge 1:23am ] Help me Betty

Her heart twisted and dropped and did full on somersaults inside her chest as she took her first cautious steps forward up the stairs. At the beginning of the school year, she wouldn’t have cared what happened to Veronica. But now she was breaking into the Blossom’s mansion in the middle of the night to come to her rescue and she was scared for her.

Betty took the flight of stairs that led to the right, whatever cardinal direction that meant this particular wing was. She started checking doors in the hallway, gingerly testing to see if any of them would allow her to peak in. Most were locked, or led to a dark room with nobody inside. There was one more door at the end of the hall. She reached out to grab the handle, but then her phone started vibrating.

She snatched her hand back and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

[ Veronica Lodge 2:16am ] Please be close.

[ Veronica Lodge 2:16am ] I’ve hidden in his closet. Master bedroom, last door on the right.

Betty took a few quick steps back from the room she was about to enter. That was it. She turned, suddenly getting an idea, and hurried back down the hall and down the stairs as she texted her response.

[ Betty Cooper 2:17am ] Is he asleep?

[ Veronica Lodge 2:17am ] Yes. Next to Penelope. Please tell me you’re here.

[ Betty Cooper 2:17am ] In the flesh, princess. When they leave, give it a moment before you go downstairs too. Say you were in the bathroom when you heard the noise.

[ Veronica Lodge 2:18am ] I have no idea what that means but I hope you know what you’re doing.

[ Betty Cooper 2:18am ] Me too.

Betty passed through the foyer again and into the dining room. There was a fireplace on one side with a large vase on the mantle.

No. The sound of a vase breaking could come from anywhere in the house. She wanted the occupants to rush towards a single location so she can sneak by.

The kitchen.

When she found it, she felt an air of triumph. _This_ was more her territory. Breaking rich peoples’ shit. She rubbed her hands together like she’d just stumbled upon the world’s greatest treasure. Above the island hung dozens of pots and pans and other metal objects. That sound would be unmistakeable.

The crash was _loud._ She ran along the hanging rack, hitting the pots as hard as she could and sending the majority of them falling to the floor. Above her head she heard quite a few footsteps rushing down the halls. Betty booked it.

Maybe it was the adrenaline or maybe that Lovecraftian story was happening and she had actually lost her mind, but she felt like laughing. She cut through the back rooms, hurrying away from the sound of voices–– her cousin’s voice was unmistakeable–– until she found an exit to the backyard. She broke into a run in the rain, towards the smaller building seated by the forest. They wouldn’t be able to spot her from the house in this darkness, in this rain. It was the perfect crime.

The perfect rescue.

Betty pulled open the large double doors to the structure and ducked inside, which turned out to be a type of shed with gardening tools lining the walls and a tarp covering what was likely a riding lawnmower parked in the middle of the floor. She pulled out her phone and waited for a sign that her crazy plan had worked.

Eventually:

[ Veronica Lodge 2:50am ] Where are you?

Betty frowned. It wasn’t exactly what she expected, but at least Veronica was still alive.

[ Betty Cooper 2:50am ] A shed in the backyard. Are you safe?

After that, there was no answer. Betty returned to her anxious state, leaning against the hood of the covered lawnmower and staring at her phone. It was nearly a quarter of an hour before one of the double doors swung open. Betty dropped her phone and braced herself.

Veronica slipped in with an umbrella and tossed it aside. Betty cursed and was about to remark on all the times Veronica had nearly given her a heart attack, but her words were cut short as Veronica quickly closed the distance between them, grabbed her face, and kissed her.

Now _that_ was triumph. When Betty relaxed into the kiss, she wrapped her arms around Veronica’s waist and held her. Veronica responded by moving her arms around Betty’s neck and it felt like they stood there together for hours.

The robe Veronica was wearing felt nice under her fingers, but it was having the heiress safely back in her arms that made Betty squeeze tighter. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt right again. She could spend the rest of the night in this shed and be fine with it as long as Veronica was there with her.

Veronica broke the kiss and pulled back just enough to get a good look at Betty’s face. She cupped Betty’s cheek as she let out a laugh. “You’re… a _mess._ ”

“I know, princess.”

“You smell like alcohol and you’re soaked.”

“I’ve had a night of my own.”

They laughed together. Veronica’s forehead came down to rest on Betty’s shoulder as she shook with humor and relief.

Betty’s heart swelled. She’d never done this much _good_ for someone before. Not like this. Not to the point where that person wanted to be as close to her as possible and found sanctuary in her nape of her neck.

But when the laughter died down, Veronica lifted her head with a softer look, and scratched the back of Betty’s neck with her nails as she stared at the blonde’s lips. Finally, she spoke. “You stormed the castle for me,” she stated quietly.

Betty’s swollen heart started _thu-thumping_ hard against her ribcage. For once, she had no response. She simply nodded her answer.

Veronica’s eyelashes lifted as she looked up into Betty’s eyes. So many words passed between them, not even complete in form, but the emotions behind them jumped back and forth like electricity. Betty had never been comfortable with this much eye contact. She felt Veronica’s thumb come up to rub her cheek during the silent exchange, soothing her. Betty’s hand covered hers, holding it in place. But she still broke. She hung her head as a sigh escaped her lips. “Veronica––”

“I know.” The raven-haired girl was quick with her answer, with her interruption. With her finger under Betty’s chin, she lifted her head back up so she could see those light green eyes. “I know.” She said it again, then both of her hands dropped, but not by her side. Veronica slid them under Betty’s jacket, then pushed the leather off of her shoulders, not breaking eye contact. Veronica untied the tie that held her robe together, shrugging it off and tossed it aside, revealing blue silk pajamas.

If Veronica was prompting her not to say anything that might ruin their moment, that might force them to have a conversation of what they can’t be, then Betty was more than willing to comply because all she wanted was to indulge in the warmth inside her chest, and in the feeling that she was a good person who was worthy of this version of Veronica. But, just to be sure: “What did you tell the Vixens?”

“That after the scare I couldn’t sleep and wanted to watch the rain by the biggest window I could find.”

“That was smart.”

“Betty, can I touch you?”

The sudden need for verbal consent was confirmation that this was different. The unspoken ‘ _can I touch you even though we can’t have what we both want and we’re inevitably going to break each others’ hearts?’_ rang harshly in Betty’s ears. But she was nodding her answer again, and pulling Veronica in for another kiss with a firm grip in her hair.

Veronica unbuttoned Betty’s shorts and pulled the zipper down, but she turned her attention back to the breathless kisses for much longer. She cupped either side of Betty’s jaw, threaded her fingers through her hair, linked them together at the back of Betty’s neck. Her hands were everywhere, pulling Betty in, begging her to be sure about this.

Betty could sense this, so she whispered against her lips, “Please, Veronica.”

It was what she needed. Veronica dropped one hand and slid it down past the waistband of her shorts and her underwear. Betty braced herself against the hood of the covered lawnmower and soon she was panting into Veronica’s mouth and throwing an arm over her shoulder to hold on for dear life. Outside, a low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

Veronica tied her robe back together as Betty sat on the floor, spent. She had yet to re-button her shorts or grab her jacket.

“I found our answer, by the way,” Veronica said cooly, like she’d been saving it just for this moment so that they wouldn’t feel the pressure to exchange other words. “I overheard him arguing on the phone when I went snooping. He told whoever it was on the other line that he’s been losing money since Fangs’ death. People want to sell less because they’re nervous they might get shot too.”

Betty’s head turned to her. “So what you’re saying is….”

Veronica crouched down at Betty’s side with a devilish grin. “I’m saying that we have our no longer anonymous donor, Serpent _princess_.”


	6. Chapter 6

Betty plopped down on the bed next to Veronica, who had her laptop in her lap and wore those black-framed glasses that Betty liked to stare at when they were in class. Veronica always looked like she was in command, but the glasses really were the icing on the cake. This time was no exception.

Betty watched the word document on the screen fill with an expertly crafted report on the book they were reading in English Literature: _The Bell Jar_ by Sylvia Plath. Betty had finished the book the other day, which was a full two weeks before their report was due. It was a carefully kept secret from the Serpents, excluding Toni, that she put forth a real effort to do well in school. At least on the academic side. Teachers (librarians included) liked to give her detention because they felt like they should, what with her gang affiliation and all. Maybe sometimes she did deserve it. She didn’t mind. It wasn’t like she could afford to go to college and leave her family behind anyway. But she did like to learn and good grades were an almost guilty source of validation in her life. Sweet Pea and the rest didn’t need to know that. The less they knew she cared about things, the less vulnerable she would be, and the more likely she would find a proper place in the Serpents.

But then there was Veronica, who _still_ had her beat. Earlier in the week following the drama at Thornhill, Veronica picked up _Mrs. Dalloway_ by Virginia Woolf. Betty had watched Josie lean towards her raven-haired friend in class and whisper, “Shouldn’t you be working on the book that was actually assigned?”

Veronica had answered with a simple shrug of her shoulder and a soft smile with those perfectly painted deep berry lips, “I read it in middle school. This is for pleasure.”

Betty checked the same book out from the school library and dove into it after her shift at Tall Boy’s auto repair shop. It was hard to get into it. It took a few nights of accidentally falling asleep and fighting to keep interested to actually finish it, but there was one particular line that stuck with her and made it feel worth it. She wondered if it had the same effect on Veronica.

The _clickety-clack_ of the keyboard never seemed to cease. Betty watched with furrowed brows as Veronica’s fingers flew across the keyboard without pause. Did the girl just _know_ everything she needed to know? Did she ever _think?_ Did she ever need to? In someone that exuded confidence in everything she did, maybe Betty wasn’t that far off.

There was a mystery in Veronica that she wanted to solve.

The clicking eventually did stop and Veronica’s head turned a fraction of an inch towards Betty. The smile could be heard in her voice as she spoke. “Are you _that_ entertained with watching me do my homework?”

Betty shifted onto her side and propped her head up on her hand, arm bent at her elbow on a mountain of pillows. “I’m just seeing how long it takes for you to remember that you have a very hot bad girl in your bed, perfectly at your disposal.”

“I see. So your motivations are sabotage.”

“Hey, I’m not doing anything. If you find me distracting, that’s on you.”

Veronica reached behind her to draw a pillow and swung it in Betty’s direction. Betty caught it and gasped dramatically. “A homoerotic pillow fight to teach me a lesson?”

“Only in your sad horny teenage _dreams_ , Cooper.”

“Yikes, I just got last-named.” Betty reached up to tuck some of Veronica’s hair behind her ear, and in the process, lifted the glasses from Veronica’s face. “Will I get detention for that, Professor Lodge?”

Veronica closed her laptop in a huff and set it beside her. Betty would’ve thought she was actually angry if there wasn’t a tight-lipped smile plastered across her face against her will. Veronica snatched her glasses back and leaned over until her face was hovering over Betty’s. “You’re incorrigible.”

Betty rolled onto her back and raised her hands above her head to grab onto the headboard with a wide grin. “What does that say about your taste in girls?”

Veronica answered by closing the distance between them to kiss that cocky smile away. Betty felt a hand smooth over her stomach and fingers spread over her ribs. She arched her back and tried to pull Veronica on top of her, which Veronica immediately obliged by swinging her leg over Betty’s hips.

The silent question that passed between them in the shed at Thornhill was getting pushed even further to the back of their minds recently. It was an unspoken pact to ignore it for the time being. Which was okay. Really, it was. It meant they could continue drowning in each other’s presence and warmth and physical attention without holding back when they were in private. It eased the pressure in Betty’s chest that now felt more like a spreading heat than a ball of nerves set to explode.

Their bodies flush together, Veronica rolled her hips and reached up to where Betty’s hands were to keep them pinned above her head. Whenever Veronica took control, she felt like she was on another planet. Her life was filled with the expectation to keep everything under control and in order, but with Veronica, she was more than happy to relinquish that responsibility. But she seemed to have surrendered too soon as Veronica broke the kiss, released her grip on Betty’s hands, and sat back on Betty’s hips. Betty’s head fell back on the pillows as she let out a heavy exhale. “…Damn.”

Veronica chuckled as she slid her hands under Betty’s shirt and lightly scratched her skin with her nails. “Daddy _will_ actually be coming home tonight, so we shouldn’t waste any more time. I admit I got carried away with my homework, but that’s only because your presence is… soothing.” Her head cocked to the side as she watched her fingers under Betty’s shirt. “After what happened at Thornhill, having you around makes me feel safe.”

Betty propped herself up on her elbows as she watched Veronica’s lips form around that confession. It was as close as they’d gotten to actually discussing the events of that night and it bordered on breaking their unspoken promise. Betty could feel her heart rate pick up. “Okay. So why did you invite me over?”

Veronica’s eyes met hers and she smiled. Betty realized that she didn’t really question Veronica much, instead choosing to go along with whatever the other girl had planned and learning what that plan actually was later on. “We should talk about what we’re going to do with Mr. Blossom. We know that he’s likely the one who invested in the Serpent’s new drug business, but we don’t know how we’re going to go about questioning him. It could be dangerous, but he may have an idea about who wanted Fangs dead.”

“I’ll do it. If he knows you’re involved, then you might not be welcomed back at Thornhill and we may need that ticket. And he’ll probably tell Cheryl that you were snooping. That wouldn’t be pretty. I don’t want you kicked off the squad or anything.”

“Because of the uniforms?”

Betty sat up and placed her hands on Veronica’s hips as leverage to give her a quick kiss. Veronica threw her arms around Betty’s neck and gave her a sly smile as she pulled back. “You know me so well. But you’re right, I should get going. Leave this one to me, princess. I’ll talk to my lovely relative for like, what, the second time in my life?”

“You’re just going to waltz up to Thornhill and accuse him of being a drug lord and see where it goes from there?”

“That’s one option. I’m hoping that between now and then I’ll come up with something better.” Betty tapped Veronica’s leg so she could get up and retrieve her things. Without looking at the other girl, she said, “Then again, maybe he’ll respond well to my courage. Besides, ‘what does the brain matter, compared with the heart?’”

Now she wished she was turned around, because the quote was met with complete silence. Did Veronica recognize it? Or did Betty finish the book before she had the chance to? Or maybe Betty was the only one putting such importance into words like that.

Suddenly she felt like an idiot for trying. It didn’t matter anyway. The last thing they needed was to start quoting literature to each other. Talk about breaking unspoken promises.

As Betty picked up her keys from the vanity, Veronica finally broke the silence and said in a whisper, “Betty, please think of a better plan.”

When Betty opened the door to the trailer and stepped in, Jellybean practically lept from her seat on the couch. “Wait, Betty, don’t––”

Betty chuckled as she let her messenger bag slide off her shoulder and tossed it aside. “What’s up, JB? What are you––”

Suddenly, there was a shout from behind the closed door to FP and Alice’s bedroom down the hall that made Betty’s jaw clamp shut immediately. Jellybean watched Betty closely, and the moment she started down the hall, Jellybean grabbed her arm. “Betty, let’s go outside or something. They’re just arguing, it’s nothing.”

_“…She’s putting pressure on the kids to do these things, Alice! She’s starting a war that we’re not equipped to fight.”_

_“Don’t you try and put all the blame on my daughter, FP. It was your son who wrote the article.”_

_“That she edited! You don’t hear them at night plotting protests and slander against Hiram Lodge? All those kids are doing is drawing his attention. Soon, we won’t even have time on our side. Soon, he’ll retaliate. I need Betty to get out of my son’s head and leave it be. She should’ve stayed with Hal. This isn’t her fight.”_

_“FP! We moved years ago, this isn’t new! Do you even hear yourself? This is our home too!”_

The shouting got indistinguishable as they started yelling over each other. Betty tried to wear a hardened expression in front of her step-sister. She didn’t need the twelve year old thinking it was her responsibility to protect Betty. So she swallowed down the instinct to cave in on herself, to nurse the emotional sting in isolation or confront her worst fears at the bottom of a bottle at the Whyte Wyrm, and touched Jellybean’s elbow. “Hey. Let’s go to the mall. I hear GameStop has a demo of the new racing game. You can bully whatever kid is hogging the console and play as long as you want until you get kicked out again.”

“That was fun when I was like, ten,” Jellybean retorted, but she was already grabbing her jacket. It must be a Cooper-Jones trait to mask vulnerability with sarcasm and tasks.

“You just know that I’m going to win.”

As luck would have it, the demo didn’t include co-op features, so Betty kept herself busy by browsing the shelves while Jellybean played and snapped at anyone who dared to tell her that she’d been on it for too long. Little punks. They probably had at least three different consoles waiting for them at home, too.

The mall would close in a couple of hours but Jellybean showed no sign of wanting to leave. Whether that was because she really wanted to milk that demo for all it was worth or because she still felt the need to protect Betty by stalling their return home, she had no idea. Damn, that kid was too young to be feeling that kind of responsibility, especially towards an older step-sister who chose her but not vice-versa.

Betty sauntered over to the pillar in the middle of the store, close to the entrance. She picked up a plushie of some vague video game character and examined it. Outside, a few loud voices and one all-too familiar one caught her attention.

“…Right now, this mall is Riverdale’s sole commercial money-grabber, and even now, it’s on its way out. Soon, it will be obsolete. The shopping center I’m proposing, along with its multiplex theater, will be the busiest location for families and employees on any day of the week.”

“Hiram, you’ve finally found your passion project.”

Another man’s voice chimed in. “Yes, I agree. Your move to this quaint little town has done wonders for your mood!”

The two strangers let out a chorus of laughs, but a younger, feminine voice admonished them. “Now, gentlemen, play nice. Daddy’s conquered New York City. It was only a matter of time before he needed a new challenge.”

Betty’s blood ran cold. The breath was knocked out of her as she realized who it was. Guess the Lodges didn’t intend to stay in for the evening after she had left. She looked over and watched as the two strange men, Hiram Lodge, all dressed in suits, and Veronica came to a stop at the railing overlooking the rest of the mall just outside of the store. Veronica, in all her glory, was wearing the same deep berry lipstick that stained Betty’s lips not even three hours ago. She stood proudly with her hands folded in front of her by her father’s side. The dutiful daughter.

It was like someone dumped a bucket of ice over Betty’s head. She knew the reason why they couldn’t be together for real, they both knew, but she never got to look that reason in the face quite like this. It made her stomach churn. In the process, her feelings got more muddled than ever.

Betty raised the plushie to shield her face from the group. At that same moment, Jellybean appeared from around the pillar and furrowed her brow. “Betty, what are you doing?”

“Shh!” Betty grabbed her little step-sister’s arm and swung her around to the other side of the pillar, away from the entrance of the store.

“The f––”

“Quiet. It’s Hiram Lodge.”

Jellybean peaked around the corner. The look on her face was filled with more understanding than a twelve year old should have. That man took her future high school away from her, and might one day take her home away, too.

Jellybean reached up towards the _Legend of Zelda_ slingshot toy by Betty’s head. Betty caught her hand and shook her head. “No.”

“He wouldn’t hurt a little girl in the middle of a mall.”

“I said no.”

An exclamation from Hiram brought Betty’s attention back to the group outside. She peaked past the plushie to see him looking at his phone. “I’m afraid I have to take this. My daughter will finish the tour and replicate my enthusiasm for the project ahead of us. Gentlemen, it was wonderful to see you again.”

“Likewise, Hiram.”

“Everything okay, Daddy?”

“Of course, _mija._ I’ll have Smithers pick you up at the valet. Give me a kiss.”

Veronica kissed his cheek and smiled after him as he half walked, half jogged away from the group. Veronica clasped her hands together as she addressed the other two men and gestured away. “I’ll show you the food court. A couple of the chains here have already expressed interest in coming into a contract with the SoDale project––”

They were gone. Betty slowly set down the plushie and stared at the area where Veronica and Hiram had just been standing. Jellybean took notice of this. “You look like someone just kicked your puppy. Why didn’t you do anything? You could’ve protested right there in front of those 1% freaks. Is it because of what FP and Alice said?”

That would be the easy answer. Betty just shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I was just hoping to get some intel and got shit instead. Let’s head home.”

“Can we get some burgers?”

“Next time. Next paycheck.”

“Teach me more about cars. I can help at the shop.”

“You don’t need to be worrying about that either. But you can help me with your brother’s bike. He rides the breaks too much.”

“Ha.”

The trailer was dark and everyone but Betty was asleep. Jellybean was safe and sound in her room. Alice and FP stopped arguing at some point while they were at the mall and were now knocked out in the larger bedroom. Meanwhile, Jughead was lightly snoring on the other side of the L-shaped couch.

Betty couldn’t get Veronica’s voice out of her head. She never hated the word “Daddy” more than she did in that moment, and boy did she hate it before. It was a harsh reminder that, in the real world, they were still bitter rivals, and the Lodges were working hard to displace her family and friends and way of life.

It was a stark and painful contrast to how easy everything felt when they were alone. She felt understood, but maybe Veronica was missing the most basic parts about her. 

Betty’s phone lit up. It was the fourth attempted call from Veronica that night. Every time she saw Veronica’s name pop up on the screen, something in her chest clenched painfully and her stomach dropped. She let out a frustrated huff and snatched the phone from the floor beside the couch and clicked ‘answer’.

“What is it, Veronica?”

“Turn on the news. Now.”

Betty rolled her eyes and pushed the blankets off of her. She turned the volume knob all the way down on the TV before turning on the power and switched the channel. When she got to the news, her jaw dropped.

The headline banner read: _CLIFFORD BLOSSOM COMMITS SUICIDE, LEAVES FAMILY IN ANGUISH._

Betty lowered her phone.

“ _Betty? Betty, we’ve lost our only lead. Hello? Are you still there?”_

She hung up.


	7. Chapter 7

Clifford Blossom: Dead. Found hanging from a rope in the barn on the family’s maple farm. He had broken barrels upon barrels of their maple syrup, revealing that some of those barrels were being used as storage for hard, imported drugs, and then he hung himself. The news reporters were sorry for him, thinking that he must’ve ended his life from the guilt of running such a morally black business. Fangs didn’t get that sorrow. He was an unfortunate statistic.

Betty leaned against her locker at school with her eyes trained on the same thing as everybody else: Cheryl Blossom. She entered the building with her chin held high, stare fixed straight ahead, but her hardened expression had cracks in it. She could break at any moment, but she refused to give. It was the first time Betty had seen her cousin wear entirely black.

Cheryl stopped for no one. Not even for Toni, who whispered her name as she passed, but earned no response. Betty’s eyes left Cheryl and focused on Toni, who looked absolutely defeated. Whether she hated her cousin or not, her friend looked like she needed her.

Betty pushed off from her locker and made her way over to Toni. The pink-haired girl looked surprised to see her, which was maybe what hurt the most. Betty placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezed it, and offered a sad smile. No words were exchanged, but it was enough for them both to understand. Toni’s shoulder dropped as she gave in and wrapped her arms around Betty, who returned the embrace without hesitation.

“She doesn’t want to be with me,” Toni whispered in her ear. “She’s not ready to come out.”

“I’m sorry, T. I’m sorry for how I reacted when you told me.”

“I know you are, you idiot.”

Betty’s lips broke into a smile, but it was quickly wiped away as Sweet Pea passed by. “Get a room, girls.”

Betty and Toni released each other from the hug to shoot him mirror images of the same dirty look. But what caught Betty’s attention was Veronica on the other side of the hallway, not listening as Reggie had her cornered at her locker. Instead, she was looking over at Betty and Toni, giving them a tight-lipped side glance upon hearing Sweet Pea’s comment.

Betty quickly looked away. Normally she’d try to take advantage of Veronica’s jealousy, but she couldn’t get the image of Veronica leading around those business men and talking about the SoDale project like it was the best thing to happen to that area of town that wasn’t even hers out of her head. “Let’s go to the Whyte Wyrm tonight,” she suggested to Toni as she squeezed her arm. “After hours. I know, I know, but I won’t let you get in trouble. I’ll take the fall if we get caught. But I think you need this.”

The time was set and they parted ways to get to class. She took her usual spot in the back row next to Joaquin and she watched Veronica take her spot next to Archie towards the middle. It was only a few minutes into the lecture when Betty got a text.

[ Veronica Lodge 8:06am ] We need to reassess our clues. Take another look at the board with me after school.

She leaned forward on her desk and buried her face in her hands with a quiet sigh. Was this Veronica being proactive about their investigation, or was this an act of the jealousy she saw on her face earlier? The worst part was, there was a part of her that still hoped for the latter. In a perfect world, she would’ve jumped at the chance to let Veronica claim her. But this world wasn’t perfect. Not by a long shot.

After a moment to collect her thoughts, Betty hid her phone in her lap as she texted back.

[ Betty Cooper 8:09am ] There’s something I would like to add to it. It’s probably nothing. But I’ll be there.

[ Veronica Lodge 8:09am ] Are you going to offer me a ride home?

God, everything little thing she did produced the most conflicting emotions. But Betty wouldn’t give in this time. There was no harm in wanting to protect herself. They did have their unspoken promise, after all.

[ Betty Cooper 8:10am ] Not today. I have something to do first.

She put her phone down and stared ahead at the board, refusing to break that stare even when she saw Veronica turn her head to look at her in her peripherals.

Her heart clenched in her chest but her head was always the more stubborn one. It was a fact that she wouldn’t forget again.

A couple of hours after school, Betty ditched her Serpent jacket and grungy clothes for something more plain and smuggled herself into the Lodge’s apartment at the Pembrooke. As she followed Veronica into her bedroom, she tried not to take notice of Veronica’s copy of _Mrs. Dalloway_ , sitting on her desk with numerous sticky notes poking out from the pages. So much for reading for pleasure.

“Here,” Veronica grabbed a small box from a drawer and handed it to Betty. “It’s a printer. Connect to it with your phone and you can print out that photo you wanted to add to the board.”

Betty selected the photo of Hal’s gun in his nightstand and sure enough, it was printed out as a polaroid in a matter of seconds. Veronica was in the closet, pulling her dresses back to reveal the cork board and searching for more pins. When Betty was sure she wasn’t looking, she also printed out the photo of the strange financial document she’d found in Hiram’s desk during her first night here. She shoved it in her back pocket and joined Veronica in the closet. Veronica stood there, her hands folded in front of her, and watched Betty pin up the photo of the gun with a quirked eyebrow.

“That night I rescued you at Thornhill,” Betty began, “I broke into my biological father’s house to sleuth. I found that in his nightstand.”

“Why go out of your way to investigate him for this?”

Betty was silent at first. Even somewhat answering that question required a lengthy explanation and opening up some old wounds that she certainly didn’t want to show to Veronica Lodge. At least, not anymore. She had considered telling her the whole story before she was harshly reminded that the Lodges–– without any exception–– did not have her best interests at heart.

“I was drunk when I decided to go.” It was only half of a lie. “And desperate. I remembered him as being secretive, so I used that as an excuse to check things out.” A pause. Then, she blurted out, “I also kissed Toni that night.”

Veronica shifted. “I thought she was into Cheryl.”

“What? How the hell––”

“Remember when I invited you here for the first time? You were in your car waiting for me, but I was hiding in the locker room because two people were making out and I couldn’t sneak away? It was Cheryl and Toni. I didn’t think it was my business to give them away.”

Betty could feel Veronica’s stare burn into the side of her face. Maybe it wasn’t fair to spoil the time they shared together in the shed that night, or their exchanged words coated with double meanings. But Veronica needed to be reminded that they didn’t belong to each other, and that they never would, especially with the way Veronica still reached out to grab Betty’s fingers, and said gently, “Betty… I know we do verbal acrobatics at every turn to avoid having this conversation, but maybe we should––”

Betty jerked her hand away. “We’re not together. Both of us can do whatever the hell we want. Look, I came over here to look over the clues that might be able help me find my dead friend’s murderer and then leave. There’s no conversation we need to have.”

It was cold, but forced out to establish boundaries. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Veronica’s hurt expression. She might change her mind if she did.

“Betty, what prompted––”

“Veronica.”

Veronica worked her jaw and folded her arms again. “I–I have nothing. The clues aren’t leading anywhere.”

“Them I’m going to go.”

So it was more than likely that Veronica had used this as an excuse to ‘claim’ Betty. She wondered if the entire investigation and interest in bringing her friend’s murderer to justice was all just an attempt to have the Serpent to herself in secret. And that was the best case scenario… just being this girl’s fantasy they both knew would have to end.

Betty made her exit against her better instincts. Veronica didn’t stop her.

The Whyte Wyrm was empty and Toni was nervous, having just broken into her workplace. Her arms were folded across her chest as Betty jogged up the stairs to the stage and shed her jacket.

Toni took a seat and glanced around the bar. “You know another great time to let off steam? When I can actually serve you drinks during operation hours without it being considered stealing or breaking and entering. And losing my job.”

Betty lifted her shirt over her head, leaving her topless excluding her black bra, and replied dismissively as she unbuttoned her jeans. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t think we’d be fine. And I’m not touching this pole in front of a room full of nasty men with the chance that my step-dad or step-brother could come in at any time. God, not again.”

She kicked off her shoes and pushed her pants down her legs. This seemed to cause Toni to relax a bit as she smirked at the girl in matching black underwear standing on the stage. “At least if we get caught, I’m not the one who’s almost nude.”

“You’d have to pay extra for that,” Betty quipped back half-heartedly as she approached the pole and grabbed onto it with both hands. “Shit, I forgot my grip powder.”

“You even own grip powder? How often to you do this?”

“After my Serpent dance, I stopped for a while. It kind of just became an impulse when I get worked up to come here and feel like I have some power. There’s something about stripping down to practically nothing on a stage and then doing these crazy tricks. Even without having the visual protection that clothes offer, vulnerability doesn’t mean weakness.”

If vulnerability was the only thing stopping her from being with Veronica, then there would be nothing to stress about. At least, that would've been the case before. Betty let out a huff, then raised her knee to her chest, planted her shin along the length of the pole, and lifted herself off the floor. Her other foot crossed in front of the pole and held her weight there as she paused. “I forgot my transitions.”

Toni leaned back in her chair and shrugged. “Well, if you haven’t done this in a while, then that’s a good sign. You haven’t been getting worked up enough to feel like you have to come here.”

“Or I’ve had other ways of letting off steam.” Betty pushed herself up until her body was fully extended and she pressed her hips into the pole. She let go, relying on her legs to hold her up, and held her arms out.

“What’s that one called?”

“The crucifix.”

“I should’ve guessed. So, what are those other ways you’ve been letting out your frustrations? You used to tell me everything, Betty. I don’t think I’ve ever had to ask things like that.”

Betty slid down the pole and shook out her legs, one at a time, and paced the stage as she reassessed her approach. It was the perfect opening to tell her best friend about Veronica, and how when they were together, in private, it was the most relaxed she’d ever been in her life. The sex was amazing, the conversations were intellectually satisfying, and Veronica had a talent for making her feel cared for through gestures as simple as looks and gentle touches. If she could tell Toni about how Veronica set up an entire cork board in her closet for their investigation, then surely her friend would understand how Betty so easily fell for the innocent facade. But Betty knew the conversation wouldn’t get that far. She’d reveal that her secret affair was with Veronica, then she’d get lost and doubtful as she tried to explain why seeing the daughter of the Serpents’ greatest villain was excusable. It wasn’t.

But holding onto so many secrets was taking its toll. And Toni was right, they used to be a lot closer before Fangs’ death. They both could use having their friend back right now, even if she couldn’t share everything. So she responded, “Look, I have to tell you something. Since the news broke that Fangs’ death wasn’t really going to be looked into, I’ve been doing my own investigating. If our friend was murdered, then I want the guy to pay, you know? I was on a hot trail but it just ended recently, full stop. I don’t know where to go next.”

Instead of glancing over at Toni’s reaction, she grabbed onto the pole and swung her legs up over her head for a full inversion. Just like she had before, she used her legs to suspend herself while she reached her arms out, pole digging into the back of her armpit, and mimicked the position from before but upside down. She looked at Toni from this angle and couldn’t read her expression.

“What’s that one?”

“Inverted crucifix,” she answered in a strained voice. “We’ll call it St. Peter’s Cross. More badass.”

As Betty watched Toni stand from her seat and start approaching the stairs to the stage, she couldn’t stop herself from sliding down the pole. She muttered an expletive as she tried to grip with her hands, but eventually her shoulders were on the floor. She let go of the pole with her legs and let the other half of her body roll out until she was lying on the stage, flat out. Toni sat next to her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Betty propped herself up on her elbows and gave a solemn shake of her head. “I’m sorry. I’m even more sorry that I’m coming up empty handed. I just want to give everyone closure.”

Toni’s lips curled into a melancholic smile. “You put too much on yourself. Always have. I’ll see if I can find anything, alright? Now that you’re finally telling me why you’ve been so damn busy since the start of the month, I can actually try to help. Put some of the load on me. That’s what friends are for. But I also know you, and I know that if you’re stuck in a dead end for too long, you’re going to drive yourself crazy. So I’m going to suggest that you pick up another project in the meantime. One that makes you feel like you’re contributing to something, so unfortunately pole dancing by yourself won’t be it. As much as you contributed to my own visual feast.”

Betty grinned and wrinkled her nose. “I’m glad to see your interest in my cousin hasn’t changed you. Give her time, by the way. Her dad just killed himself. Let her deal in the way she knows how. Be there for her when she needs it. And she will.”

“Thanks, Betty.”

“What kind of project do you suggest?”

“I mean, you spent all your time this summer plotting with Jughead on ways to get back at Hiram for shutting down our school. You know I don’t want to see you get in trouble, but the dude literally doesn’t care about what he’s proposing to do to all of us with this ‘reformation of Riverdale’ thing he wants to bad. The article you and Jughead did on him was great and all, but it was just for a high school newspaper. Maybe you can organize a new protest or something.”

Betty sat up and ran her thumb over her lower lip as she got lost in thought. Toni smiled to herself, proudly. Finally, Betty said, “Or something. I saw Hiram giving a tour to some fancy looking douchebags I think he might’ve known in New York. If they’re still around, I don’t think he’d like them to see that his ‘passion project’ is so highly opposed.”

“That sounds like the Betty Cooper I know. But you can handle that later. I did not wake up in the middle of the goddamn night to watch you do two whole moves on the pole. Hold on, I’m choosing some music, too. I’m not getting cheated of this opportunity.”

She’d taken most of Toni’s advice, but didn’t listen much to her worries about her getting into trouble. Betty had recruited Jughead over the weekend to take things a little further than a legal protest. In all honesty, she was worried that it would get traced back to her, but in her heart she felt like it was the right message. Change didn’t happen when people behaved.

Now back at school, Betty closed her locker and turned. Veronica stood directly in front of her, hands on her hips, and wearing an expression that normally would get her excited, but now she was worried for her life.

“Locker room,” she demanded as quietly as she could so as not to draw unnecessary attention. “Now.”

Betty led the way and suddenly she really felt for Midge when Veronica directed her to the Blue and Gold to be interrogated. It felt like a death’s march. But she wouldn’t give Veronica the satisfaction of being submissive, so she walked with her chin high and her eyes rolling to the ceiling like her mom was getting on her about the dishes. The moment they were alone, she turned, but Veronica wasn’t done. Her eyes grew wide as Veronica advanced on her until Betty backed up into the last row of lockers. Veronica held up her phone and shoved it in Betty’s face. “Tell me this wasn’t you.”

On the screen was a photo of the construction site that used to be Southside High School. A backhoe was sitting front and center. The bucket had been spray painted with the words ‘ _here lies our humanity’._ Veronica swiped the screen to another photo. It was the old Southside High sign. _‘Hiram Lodge thinks we’re less than human’_ was spray painted in red letters. Veronica swiped again, this time showing the walkway leading to the entrance of the abandoned school.

_‘Prisons over schools. It’s clear where he wants us to be.’_

Betty shrugged. “That could’ve been anyone from the Southside.”

“Bullshit,” Veronica snapped. “If this was Sweet Pea’s work, there would just be profanities painted in every corner. This is the work of a Jones or a Cooper.”

“That’s a leap of an accusation.”

Veronica set her phone down on the bench and folded her arms. “He’s not building a prison to fill it with Serpents. But that’s how it’s going to end up being if this is the response they give.”

“Right there,” Betty said through gritted teeth. “Right _there_. That is _exactly_ why we could never talk about us. You forgot, didn’t you? You tried to talk last week without even thinking that it would explode in our faces. But hey, you’re going to get what you wanted, because here it goes. As long as you defend your father to me, you and I are nothing. You don’t get to sleep with me and tell me things like how you feel safe with me when whenever we’re apart, you’re working with _Daddy_ to screw over our lives.”

“There was another high school, Betty. He’s not transferring everyone into the prison, as you so boldly put it in your act of vandalism. And you never had a problem sleeping with me before.”

Betty opened her mouth to fight, but she clamped her jaw shut again and stared hard at Veronica, tight-lipped. She didn’t have a problem sleeping with the enemy before, because she hadn’t gotten attached yet. She hadn’t seen the thoughtfulness from her rival, or felt her tender touches. She hadn’t experienced the feeling of Veronica coming to her with more pieces of the puzzle towards solving her friend’s murder, and the way she took initiative to go above and beyond. She hadn’t checked a book out of the library just to read what Veronica was reading and get to know her through her choice in literature. She had yet to feel perfectly content while lying in Veronica’s bed, just watching her do her homework and reveling in her presence in an unselfish way. But wasn’t it all selfish, in the end?

Betty took a breath, feeling the weight under the brown eyes that stared her down. “It’s not just the prison. It’s the shopping center. It’s him coming to Riverdale and treating our livelihood like a playground. If he wants that shopping center anywhere near the trailer park, he’s going to make us move. Where would we go? We’d be fucked. And as for us, well… you know, Veronica. You already know.”

“Do I?”

Betty’s shoulders dropped and she scoffed. “Don’t play that. Please.”

Silence fell between them. Veronica avoided eye contact as she worked her jaw back and forth. She looked older when she was mad like this. Her father put a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of a girl still in high school. But she still had a choice. She picked her phone up from the bench and fiddled with it between her fingers. Finally, she held her shoulders back and inhaled deeply. “If you can’t even say it, then I’m not going to waste my time. And you’re wrong about my father. So screw you, Betty Cooper.”

She turned on her heels to leave, but she hesitated. She turned back around, took something out of her pocket, and shoved what looked like a polaroid into Betty’s chest. “My printer has a reprint option, by the way. That document you found when you broke into Daddy’s office? It’s a draft of a bid for some contractors he knew in New York City. They’re practically family friends. I should’ve never trusted you. I may have avoided talking about these things, but at least I never lied or snuck around behind your back. You took advantage of me when I invited you into my home. Burn in hell.”

When Veronica’s hand left her chest as she stormed out, Betty caught the polaroid and turned it over. It was, indeed, a copy of the photo she had printed last week.

She stood there, stunned, well after the deafening ring of the first period bell.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how long this update took. This month has been a lot, amirite? Please stay safe and healthy. Look after yourselves. And I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Cheers erupted from the stands as Archie Andrews threw a perfect spiral to Reggie Mantle, landing the Bulldogs another six points for the scoreboard. It seemed like the entirety of the ‘Town With Pep” showed up to support their local high school football team in their homecoming game. Even some of the Serpents made an appearance.

Like Betty Cooper, who stood next to the bleacher by the long and winding line to the hotdog kiosk––also conveniently located behind where the River Vixens stood idly by during plays until their team scored. She watched on, her eyes glued to one brunette Vixen in particular who was easy enough to track with her headband and perfect… everything…. while guilt ate her alive. Did she do the wrong thing, taking advantage of Veronica like she did? Yes. But could she apologize and go back to trusting _her_ again? Not likely. So anything between them, professional or otherwise, was at a standstill.

Or non-existent.

Toni approached Betty from behind and patted her on the shoulder. “With that broody look you’re a better poster child for Greendale than a town whose biggest holiday is a high school homecoming.”

Betty gave her a tight-lipped smile as a young girl ran by and dropped her miniature blue and yellow pompom at Betty’s feet. Betty bent down and picked it up, then offered it to the girl who must’ve been about six years old. The girl hesitated, eyeing Betty’s leather boots and jacket, then snatched it and ran away. Toni let out a loud laugh. “Look at that! The first person you’ve ever scared in your life. Even that I’d only call ‘mildly nervous’.”

Betty chuckled and gave Toni’s shoulder a gentle shove. “Come on, where’s your sense of festivity? I’ve done _nothing_ and you’re determined to roast me.”

“If I’m ever not roasting you, then I must be cold and six feet under. Only because it’s so easy.”

“Alright, serious question then: How are you and my cousin?” Betty nodded over at the red head standing next to Veronica, whose long curls fell down her back like a waterfall against the stark blue uniform and bounced as she cheered.

Toni looked on at this as well and sighed. “We’re actually going to talk after the game. It was her idea.”

“Sounds like a good sign.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m hoping.”

Large hands landed on both of their shoulders as Sweet Pea came in to interrupt. Jughead followed closely behind. “What’s up, ladies?” Sweet Pea greeted them and licked his lips as a group of girls from the rival school passed by.

Betty watched this and frowned. “Reel it in, Sweet Pea.”

“I’m allowed to look. But hey, speaking of girls––or guys––either of you have a date to the stupid dance tomorrow?”

Betty shook her head solemnly. _Veronica must have ten dates lined up._ Toni answered nonchalantly, “I’m going to ask Cheryl.”

Betty, Sweet Pea, and Jughead all turned their heads to Toni in unison, who continued to look on at the cheerleaders as if it were the most casual thing to say in the world.

Sweet Pea dropped his hands from their shoulders and his nose wrinkled. “Cheryl Blossom? Toni, are you kidding?”

“Nope. And if you tell anyone before she says yes, then I’m kicking you out of the Whyte Wyrm for the rest of the school year.”

It was Jughead who spoke next. “She’s a witch in her own right, but she’s best friends with Veronica _Lodge_. Is that really who you want to associate with?”

There it was. After a short burst of inspiration from Toni’s fearlessness in stating her romantic attraction to the cheer captain, Betty was reminded that Veronica was an even more special case and it was best if their history there was kept quiet. It wasn’t like anything was going to happen anymore, anyway. But she was still jealous of anyone who was able to ask the object of their interests to the dance without worrying if their family and friends would shun them from their community.

Shit, she really was bitter over a corny high school dance.

Toni shrugged. “There’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. Look at her–– she’s cheering at some stupid game, two weeks after her father committed suicide, a year after she lost her twin brother in a car accident, all because it’s what she _has_ to do. This squad is hers. Those girls are her responsibility.”

“It’s pompoms and frilly skirts. Not that serious,” Sweet Pea scoffed and started backing away. “Whatever, Toni.”

Jughead gave them all the side-eye as Sweet Pea stormed off. He waited until he was gone to say anything. “She’s the Madam Satan of Riverdale High. You know that, right?”

Toni just smiled. Jughead couldn’t help but mirror it.

Despite the jealousy, Betty smirked and shook her head at her friend and step-brother. “You’re tugging at my heartstrings, guys.”

“Hand me those weights, JB.”

“Why can’t I do it?”

“Alright, if you wanna break Jughead’s bike so bad, go for it.”

Jellybean grinned and picked up the wrench before replacing Betty’s spot kneeling by the wheel they had extracted from their brother’s motorcycle and placed on a wheel stand. Jellybean gave the wheel a hard spin and beamed as it spun. Betty took this opportunity to stand and stretch, extending her hands up toward the sky and getting the blood flowing in her legs by pacing in front of the trailer. She needed to keep busy, and the best way she knew how was to get her mind solving puzzles and her hands getting dirty. Jellybean had been all too easy to convince to work on a small project together. Sometimes Betty forgot that they weren’t actually blood relatives.

The sound of car tires crunching against dirt and rocks approached the two girls. Betty spun around and her jaw dropped at the cherry red 1961 Chevrolet Impala convertible slowly driving up to them, with her cousin at the wheel and Toni in the passenger seat. Both of them wore dresses. Jellybean watched over her shoulder with a furrowed brow. It was the same protective look that Betty sported whenever she crossed paths with Cheryl Blossom.

Again, somehow not blood relatives.

Toni got out of the car, her hair done up in a way that Betty could only guess was Cheryl’s doing. Betty gave her a soft yet still confused smile as she walked up to her. “Well. I guess that talk yesterday didn’t go so bad.”

Toni threw her arms around Betty’s neck in an embrace, which Betty felt was innocent enough, but then she felt her friend’s lips against her ear. Toni whispered, “Cheryl swears on her life that her dad didn’t kill himself.”

She drew back so she could watch Betty’s reaction. She watched as a million thoughts passed behind those intense green eyes and her breath grew shallow. “What?”

“She strangely believes all the secret drug lord bullshit. Her dad wasn’t an angel, everyone knows that. But she says there’s no way Clifford Blossom would kill himself like that. He’s not the type of guy to wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly have regrets over a business that was apparently going pretty well, all things considering.”

“Hey.” They both turned to Jellybean, who was now standing and trying to get Cheryl’s attention. “Can I drive your car?”

Cheryl didn’t even turn her head to acknowledge her, staring straight ahead with her gaze hidden behind dark cat eye sunglasses. “Not a chance in hell, Icona Pop.”

Toni chuckled before turning her attention back to the more serious matter at hand. “Anyway. I said I wanted to help and I hope that does.”

“No, Toni, that’s _huge_ ,” Betty reassured her. The fire in her chest was reignited for the investigation. _“_ That might be enough to get me out of this dead end.”

“Good. Now clean up and let’s go to this stupid dance.”

Betty frowned. “Yeah, no thanks. I sort of planned on… not doing that.”

“Oh, come on. Have some good ol’ Northsider fun for once. Wash up, and make it snappy!”

Toni started heading back to the car, leaving Betty stuttering. “I don’t have a dress!” She called out.

It wasn’t until Cheryl slowly reached up and lowered her glasses, looking at her with a twisted, red lipstick-stained smile that made Betty feel like an ant under a microscope, that Betty noticed the covered dress laying neatly in the back seat.

Within the first quarter of an hour, Sweet Pea and Joaquin were kicked out of the dance for trying to spike the punch with vodka, causing the parent and teacher chaperones to ‘casually’ keep a closer eye on the remaining Serpents and follow them around. One teacher in particular stood right behind Betty, arms crossed over his chest as if he were doing a massive service to the school, as she sat alone at one of the tables and watched the dance from afar.

Cheryl had put her in a tight green dress that was so short that the teacher at the door put a ruler to her leg to make sure it was within the appropriate length for the school-sanctioned function. Betty hated it. She hated the way it was run, she hated the traditions involved, and she hated the way Veronica seemed to glue herself to Reggie Mantle.

The two were inseparable. He made her laugh, she put her hand on his chest, they danced… it was disgusting. Of all the boys to pick from. Reggie would never be able to keep up with her. Sure they often shared the same devious mindset when it came to pursuing what they desired, but would _he_ ever read a book just to get to know her better?

Maybe that was too specific, Betty thought guiltily. Her self hatred wouldn’t place her too far above Reggie Mantle, but her stubbornness would allow it in the context of Veronica. Yeah, as she watched the scene before her, she admitted she was bitter. Jealous. All the facts that constantly reminded her why they couldn’t be together evaporated from her mind. Her feelings won over reason, and it was evident in the way she glared daggers at the pair from across the makeshift dance floor in the school gym.

“Hey, Betts.”

Betty blinked as if she’d been shocked and came tumbling back down to reality. Archie Andrews stood before her in a tuxedo that either belonged to his father or they had rented, as it wasn’t the perfect fit. But he looked pleased to be there all the same.

“Would you like to dance with me?”

In true Archie fashion, he offered a hand and an endearingly lopsided smile. Even as toddlers, when they were neighbors, it was hard to ever be angry or short with him. He meant well. All the same, Betty wanted to say no and get back to the glaring. But then again….

Betty glanced over at Veronica and Reggie one last time to see them laughing together as they slow danced. She wasn’t even sure Veronica had noticed she was there.

“Fuck it. Let’s go,” Betty answered and took his hand, standing abruptly and lead him to the dance floor, passing by Toni and Cheryl whose heads followed as she took the lead. When she turned and placed her hands on Archie’s shoulders, he was still smiling.

“You’re beautiful.”

Betty let out a humorless laugh. “Alright.”

“No, I didn’t mean that as a come-on. I’m just saying. You’re beautiful. And I know things suck and merging our schools isn’t great for you guys, but I’m glad to see my best friend around again.”

“Archie… we haven’t been best friends since we were little kids.”

Archie shrugged, his hands respectfully high on Betty’s waist as they swayed to the music. “I know that. But you were unforgettable. I always thought of you like a best friend.”

Betty smiled sweetly and earnestly. “You need better friends.”

He laughed and shook his head. “I have Josie, the Pussycats, Veronica, the football team… even Jughead and I have been getting along, sort of.”

“Huh. First I’m hearing of that.” Remembering Jughead’s comment to Toni when she confessed that she was going to ask Cheryl to the dance, Betty noticed for the first time that maybe everyone was just trying to feel each other out and gauge judgements in an awkward dance of figuring out who they were allowed to like without risking losing the people they considered family.

“Yeah, I hear things are pretty tight with the Serpents. He hasn’t been comfortable enough to hang out. Maybe that’ll change.”

This prompted Betty to glance over his shoulder as Veronica and Reggie came into view. _Well wouldn’t that be swell, Andrews._

Suddenly, his expression grew a little more serious. “Um, so, your sister asked me for your number. I told her I’d try to get it since you changed it. I was kind of surprised when she asked.”

Polly was trying to reach out. The prospect both excited Betty and brought along a whole lot of nerves that it might somehow invite her father back into her life. But wasn’t she inviting that anyway by investigating him?

She thought for a moment, then dropped her hands from his shoulders and took her phone out of her purse. Archie retrieved his from his pocket. “Yeah… yeah, you can give it to her. I would actually like to talk. She never did anything wrong, you know? She––”

“I know.”

He did know, and that was kind of nice. It was easy, and damn refreshing. She typed her number into his phone and he sent her a text. Right after, she received another text.

[Veronica Lodge 9:13pm] Meet me in the restroom.

Betty looked up to see Veronica already pushing open the double doors into the hallway across the gym.

Well… it was sort of a nice night for about ten minutes there.

Betty excused herself and obediently followed the fleeing Vixen, unsure of what she was about to walk into. Even when she entered the bathroom to find Veronica pacing with her arms crossed, she still wasn’t sure what this was about.

“So? What is it, Veronica?”

At first, Veronica didn’t even acknowledge that Betty was there. She kept pacing back and forth, slowly, until she finally came to a stop, took a deep breath, and forced herself to look at Betty. “Archie? Really? The moment you insist that we’re not together, you go for one of my closest friends?”

Betty pinched the bridge of her nose. “That… really wasn’t what it looked like.”

“So I _didn’t_ just watch you two exchange numbers as you slow danced and looked at him like he hung the moon?”

“I did give him my number, but it wasn’t for him. What’s it matter to you, anyway?

Veronica took several large, threatening steps towards Betty. “You’re infuriating. You may have taken advantage of me when I invited you into my home, you may hate my dad, and you may be so stubborn and scared that you can’t admit when you have even a fraction of an emotion towards me, but I _liked_ you, Betty Cooper. How do you think I feel seeing you with my best friend out in the open when we were forced to keep everything a secret? And if you two starting dating, having to see that as a constant reminder–––”

“It’s not like that, Veronica. And this is a two way street. How do you think I feel seeing you with Reggie Mantle? With your hands all over him, laughing….” She trailed off as she watched Veronica’s expression change. Her chin lifted and Betty nearly missed it, but the corners of her lips lifted ever so slightly. “You… did all of that to make me jealous.”

Veronica raised a finger and took another step closer. “No. I did all of that to see if you possessed the feelings that would drive you to jealousy, since you are incapable of saying so yourself. But you just did, in your own annoyingly indirect way.”

Betty shook her head, but she could only admire the other girl’s scheming. Perhaps they were always meant to give each other a run for their money. Normally she _should_ be angry for having been manipulated, and add that to the list of reasons why she shouldn’t chase after Veronica Lodge, but the anger was gone. Hearing Veronica’s confession and making a sort of confession herself, it was a lot that had been on her conscience that was suddenly cleared up.

Betty’s eyes dragged up Veronica’s dress and homecoming makeup. The dress was black, form-fitting, elegant, and she wore her signature single pearl necklace. Her hair looked soft, and Betty could smell her perfume from where she stood. “I promise,” she finally said, “I’m not interested in Archie like that.”

Veronica seemed to relax a bit. “Well… good.”

“And I’m sorry that I broke into your dad’s office that night. I still hate him, and the Serpents are never going to accept your family for as long as he’s pursuing his project, but I shouldn’t have done what I did that at the expense of your trust. I hate not having that. I hate… not seeing you anymore.”

Veronica’s arms dropped at her side and her whole demeanor deflated. “Betty Cooper, that was almost romantic.”

Betty took a step closer. “You look beautiful tonight, Veronica.” _Now that_ was _a come-on._

Veronica nearly closed the distance. “That dress makes your eyes look so green. I can’t look away.”

“You’re wearing my favorite perfume.”

“You read _Mrs. Dalloway_ and quoted it to me to see if I’d notice.”

“I want to kiss you.”

The moment Veronica’s fingers began brushing Betty’s hair out of her face, the door to the bathroom opened and they leapt several feet away from each other. A tall girl with light brown hair and tears in her eyes that Betty didn’t know ducked into a stall and locked it behind her. Silently, they both left the bathroom, dejected.

In the hall on the way back to the dance, Veronica said under her breath, “Can we get out of here?”

“Not without being too obvious. Cheryl and Toni drove me here.”

“Now you and Cheryl are friends?”

“I would definitely not go that far. Some things will never change.”

“Maybe this is for the best. We should take things slow. We still have many, many obstacles, conflicts of interest…”

“It’ll be impossible.”

“But we’ll have each other for at least a little while more.”

“We still can’t even tell anyone. We’re doomed.”

“And I’m willing to ride that out with you.”

They stopped at the doors. Betty leaned against the frame with a soft smile. Veronica matched it and gave her a once-over. “You’re mine for now, Serpent. I’m making that clear right off the bat this time.”

“Alright. I’m yours.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

Veronica’s smile broke into a grin that made Betty’s heart flutter.

Oh yeah, they were doomed. Full speed, no breaks, straight into the fire-type doomed.

Veronica re-entered the gym first. Betty waited a minute (she timed it) before making her way in herself, ready to burn.


	9. Chapter 9

“Remember how our little rivalry turned into something a tad… unconventional? Do you remember how that all started?”

“Of course I do, V. It really wasn’t that long ago.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you how I remember it. I’d tell it better anyway.”

Betty and Veronica turned onto their sides to face each other, heads on the motel pillows and ignoring the suspicious scent of mildew if it meant they could be together far from Hiram, far from any other human being. Veronica continued, “You were shouting at me in the hallway…. It was between classes on a day that ended in ‘y’, so of course you were.”

Betty smirked and rolled her eyes.

“You were _incredibly_ irritating, Betty Cooper, so don’t even try to deny it. I’ll call your bluff.”

“I’m not.”

“Good. Usually I admired your passion and how much you cared for your community, and I knew how hard this school merger was for you, so I was willing to take it like a woman. But you were getting up in my face that day––”

“––So you got up in my face. You backed me into the lockers and held me there with one hand on my chest.”

“I firmly told you to cool it.”

“I don’t even remember what you said.”

“Yes, I could tell. Because you were looking at me like I was suddenly wearing a leather catsuit and swinging around a flogger.”

“I _really_ didn’t expect you to bite back. You started pointing at me and you were probably saying something incredibly clever that would cut me to the bone, I’m sure, but then I smelled your perfume and I noticed how soft your hair looked.”

Veronica grinned… devious. Proud. “I was so angry with you that day. Then you started staring at my lips and I knew you weren’t listening. I thought you were so strange.”

“I–– that was new to me, too.”

“This girl who has been giving me hell since the first day of school finally gets a taste of her own medicine and she reacts as if she’s just been dropped on the set of an erotic film.”

Betty laughed as a little shade of pink rose in her cheeks and neck. “I wasn’t _that_ bad.”

“I told you we’d settle our differences after school, slipped you the address of this motel, and you showed up early.”

“Maybe I was that bad.”

“You were. And I was entranced.”

“That early on?”

“That early on. But I never planned on telling you.” Veronica bit her lip as if to consider something, then slid a little closer to Betty. “In the moment, no matter how passionate and rough we got, you still handled me like I was some precious thing. But after… you looked so guilty.”

Betty’s expression softened. She tucked a stray hair behind Veronica’s ear and stroked her cheek. “I didn’t think you noticed. And at the time, I didn’t think you cared.”

“I understood why you felt that way. That’s why I didn’t say anything. I figured we’d play out our Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson fantasies, have our summer nights, and then you’d decide it wasn’t worth the guilt and stop texting me for a mysterious rendezvous.”

“What changed?”

Veronica leaned into Betty’s touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment as her own fingers found the fabric of Betty’s shirt at her waist and held on tight. When she opened her eyes again, Betty thought she’d never seen Veronica so vulnerable and _hers_ before. She wanted to capture this moment in a bottle and put it on a shelf for safekeeping. Veronica’s lips curled on one side. “I saw you mourning for Fangs and I realized I cared for you a lot more than I gave myself credit for. I wanted to help you. I wanted more summer nights. I got selfish.”

“I think we both got pretty selfish when it came to each other,” Betty replied quietly. “I’m really glad you decided to be selfish.”

“Me too.” Veronica tilted her head and Betty met her in the middle, giving her one of those soft kisses they never shared before and felt more intimate than all of their so-called ‘mysterious rendezvous’ put together. In this motel, while they’re alone, they no longer had a barrier between them. It was unlike anything Betty could compare it to.

Veronica broke the kiss and hummed. “I hope you know that I’m Danny Zuko in that reference from before.”

Betty let out a laugh. It didn’t matter how much Veronica kept her on her toes. In fact, she liked it better that way. Veronica retrieved her phone from the nightstand and opened her photo album. “Speaking of wanting to help, I made a small update to our murder mystery board.”

Betty turned onto her back as Veronica rested her head on her chest and held the phone up for both of them to see. It was a photo of the board in Veronica’s closet. There was now a portrait of Clifford Blossom from the newspaper article on his alleged suicide and a red question mark drawn over it. Betty reached up to zoom in on the clipping. “What newspaper did you get that from?”

“The Riverdale Register.”

“Did Hal write the article?”

“Yes. But you have to say it makes sense for the owner to write the biggest story in Riverdale since Cheryl’s brother’s death.”

Betty dropped her arm and stroked Veronica’s hair as she fell into thought. “Riverdale doesn’t get a whole lot of crazy news stories, does it?”

“That’s its small-town charm.”

“The owner of the local newspaper wouldn’t like that so much.”

“I suppose not.”

Betty’s eyes flitted back and forth between all of the portraits pinned on the board. “A Serpent, a Ghoulie, and a rich, middle-aged man, _if_ Cliff’s suicide wasn’t actually a suicide. It doesn’t make sense.”

“But it’s enough to consider we might have a serial killer on our hands.”

The thought caused them both to fall silent. They just wanted to bring Fangs’ killer to justice. But if that person was a serial killer, they’d be in over their heads. This could get a lot more dangerous. Betty huffed. “Any day now, Sheriff Keller could make the connection that Cliff was supplying the Serpents… which is a whole separate problem on its own, but nothing you need to worry about. I would say the killer has something against the Serpents’ drug trade, but the dead Ghoulie is throwing me off.”

“Are we sure that it was the Serpents that Cliff was supplying?”

“Not completely. Penny’s been silent, but she’s been silent since Fangs’ death. Maybe I can do a little investigating within the gang and find out what the deal is with the dealing.”

Veronica hesitated, then nodded against Betty’s chest. “Be careful. And I know it’s been over a month since his death, but maybe we should check out the scene where he was killed? We might not find much, but it could help us get in the right headspace.”

For a moment, they just breathed and let it all sink in. Were they trying to solve trouble, or were they going to find a lot more of it?

Betty took Veronica’s phone and placed it on the nightstand. “Tomorrow.”

It was the next day during Betty’s shift at the garage. She’d been avoiding the burning questions, not even sure where to start, but as she finished the job and started wiping her hands of grease on an already dirty rag, she watched Tall Boy work on the car engine and realized this was her chance. He’d be the best one to ask, but also the worst to alert as he was second-in-command to her stepfather.

Betty backed up against the workbench and tossed the rag aside. She cleared her throat. “So… I heard that Fangs found a way to earn a little extra cash for himself and the gang before he died.” Tall Boy made no response beyond a grunt, so she pressed. “Penny approached me about that a long time ago. I had no idea she’d actually started something. It sounded like a bunch of talk.”

“Nothing the Snake Charmer says is just talk. You’d do well to remember that.”

Sometimes talking to Tall Boy was like talking to another dad, and she already had plenty of those. She didn’t care for more. “Duly noted.”

“She has stones for trying to recruit FP’s kid.”

“Maybe she had something going at that point. Something that would be hard for FP to stop. Something that was so successful that FP would have no choice but to allow it.”

“That dream of hers is dead.”

“Because Fangs was killed… or because Clifford Blossom died?”

Tall Boy stopped his work and straightened his spine, living up to his name. He pointed his wrench at Betty. “Don’t you be bringing talk of murders and rich peoples’ suicides here. Now go home, kid. Your shift’s over.”

Betty grabbed her jacket from the bench and willed herself not to sass her boss on her way out. She didn’t like the feeling that the people she called family were hiding things from her. It seemed to be a never-ending discovery of secrets, but not what those secrets actually were. Which, for an investigation, just told her that maybe she shouldn’t be looking to become the next Hercule Poirot anytime soon. Not even the dirtbag version of Nancy Drew.

She mounted Jughead’s bike (God, she really thought she’d have the money to buy her own by now) and grabbed her helmet at the same moment she spotted a familiar bearded man wearing a beanie tearing down the road on his own bike in the direction of the Whyte Wyrm. Mustang always kept to himself. A real Serpent, through and through. He was a known user in the past, but what if he decided to buy in on the other side of things? Desperate for a lead, she quickly texted Veronica that she would be a little late in picking her up and followed him.

She found him situated at the bar and already helping himself to his first sips of beer from a bottle by the time she walked in. Toni was wiping down a table and waved to her as Betty entered. It was the weekend, so even this early on in the day there were quite a few Serpents hanging around, even a few kids playing Connect Four at a table in the corner before the adults took over for the night. Betty cut a straight line to the bar and sat herself a couple stools away from Mustang. Toni started to make her way over but Betty shook her head. Toni’s confused gaze lingered before she returned to cleaning the table.

Betty folded her hands on the table and took a steadying breath before speaking. “Any news from the Snake Charmer?” she asked, barely above a whisper.

Same as Tall Boy, Mustang didn’t react right away and cooly finished a long drink from his beer. When he set it down on the bar, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “You would know.”

“People don’t like to keep me in the loop…. FP’s kid,” she explained using Tall Boy’s words from before.

“You would know… because someone would’ve told you to keep your mouth shut a long time ago. You’re not a runner.”

Betty pinched the bridge of her nose. Even within her gang nobody wanted to be helpful. Mustang chuckled at her obvious frustration. “If someone trusted you enough to let you in on it at all, then hell, go talk to Tall Boy. Maybe he’ll be more generous than me.”

“I already tried. So he has more information than he’s letting on?”

All Mustang offered in response was a grunt.

Betty slammed the car door shut a little harder than she meant to, making Veronica jump as she got out of the passenger side. Betty raised her hands a little and dropped them by her sides. “Sorry. Just realized how tired I am of getting a bunch of non-answers.”

Veronica rounded the front of the car and linked their arms to guide Betty toward their destination. “Like I said, maybe this will help us get into the right mindset. And… I have a small surprise for you.”

It was dark out and there weren’t any people walking around. No storefronts. The street was lined with cars that looked like they’d been parked there a while. They were also very close to Ghoulie territory. It was a terrible area, and it didn’t make sense why Fangs was here in the first place. As they approached the alley where he was shot, an arrangement on the ground came into view: A framed photo of Fangs, a few candles, and flowers that were shriveled and desaturated.

Betty’s breath caught. “Did you–––”

“No,” Veronica answered softly, then dug into her coat pocket. She withdrew a white flower and offered it to Betty. “But I hoped.”

Betty’s eyebrows squeezed together as she delicately took the flower and stared at its pedals. A lot of feelings came rushing back in that moment, feelings that she’d been holding onto for nearly two months. Veronica planted a kiss on her shoulder and released her arm. “I’ll get a head start on the sleuthing and let you say your goodbyes.”

As Veronica rounded the corner and started having a look around the alley that appeared mostly empty excluding some trash bins and an ancient-looking car that was likely looted years ago, Betty tentatively approached the makeshift altar, flower held with both hands as if it would take off at any moment. She lowered herself down and knelt in front of Fangs’ picture.

Suddenly, all of those dead ends and non-answers seemed like small problems to have. Her downturned lips trembled. She felt ridiculous if she started talking out loud, so she silently replaced the dead flower with the fresh one that looked as though it was cut this morning and folded her hands in her lap. Everything was so much simpler when he was alive. Or maybe it was all blissful ignorance. But he sure made it seem like everything was okay. From letting her punch him on the playground so the others wouldn’t pick on her, to clinking their drinks over a pact to never sleep with each other again, he was there for it all. He had made up so much of her life. Now he had his picture in a frame in a random alleyway.

“Betty!”

Betty’s breath hitched and she wiped her tears away with her sleeve. _I swear to God Fangs, this girl from New York is going to help us find your killer. I’ll say goodbye to you when that happens._

She sprang to her feet and joined Veronica at the car with the chipped paint and torn seats. Veronica was bent over, reaching for something between the front wheel and the frame. “There’s something in here… paper, maybe? I got it.” She pulled out a bulging envelope with a handkerchief to spare her fingerprints and turned it over. She nudged open the flap.

Cash. A lot of it.

Betty’s heart dropped. Veronica’s excited smile faltered when she saw Betty’s expression. “What’s wrong? This is a major clue if this was Fangs’.”

“If this belonged to him, then it was drug money. And if he hid it in the car here before getting shot down there… then someone was chasing him.”

Veronica understood where she was going with this. Her lips thinned to form a straight line.

Betty nodded repeatedly, anxiously, as her nails dug into her palms. “Yeah, I–– I think he knew he was about to die, or get caught. And for some reason, he didn’t want whoever killed him to find the money after he did.”


	10. Chapter 10

It was one of those rare, peaceful moments at the trailer when no one was home except for Betty. She loved her family, even when FP got protective of his Serpent heir and blamed his shortcomings on her. Even when Alice gave her the ‘disappointed mom’ look when Betty acted just as she did at her age. Even when Jughead picked another fight that wasn’t his. Even when Jellybean acted like she was older than she was. Because FP welcomed her into his home and family even when getting an extra daughter wasn’t a part of the marriage deal with Alice. Because Alice understood why the Southside was better for her than the Northside. Because Jughead had a brilliant mind and a passionate heart. Because Jellybean was one of the coolest, smartest kids she knew.

But that was a lot of people in a cramped space. So when they were all gone, Betty liked to pace the floor and appreciate what they had. Not much had changed since she moved in as a kid, but it didn’t have to. They had what they needed. The bare necessities.

Betty cracked opened the door to Jellybean’s room and chuckled at what she saw: A motorcycle wheel that looked like it was picked up out of the trash, dented and rusted, sitting on a wheel stand in the middle of the floor. Next to it was Betty’s old toolkit.

Some sisters stole each other’s clothes….

Betty closed the door again and took out her phone. It was a shame that she would never be able to introduce Veronica to Jellybean–– she had a suspicion that Veronica would talk to her like the adult she so wanted to be–– but it didn’t mean she couldn’t tell her about her step-sister. After the solemn discovery of the drug money that Fangs had hid before he got murdered, Veronica might appreciate a bit of a lighter conversation.

Her thumb hovered over Veronica’s name under ‘Recent Calls’ but an incoming call stopped her. There was no name, but the number had a Riverdale area code. Curious, Betty answered it. “Hello?”

“Betty? Is that you? It’s… it’s Polly. Archie gave me your number?”

The tightness she could hear in her sister’s voice was matched with the sudden formation of a knot in Betty’s throat. She hesitated to even confirm her identity as her eyes bounced around the hall in the trailer, between the framed photos of her smiling acquired family hanging on the walls. She moved into the living room. “Uh, yeah… yeah this is Betty. Hey. I didn’t think you’d call.”

“I didn’t think I would either if I’m being honest. I thought I was crazy for asking Archie to get me your info after catching my long lost sister trying to rob us.”

Betty’s eyes closed and she dropped her chin to her chest. She answered quietly, “I’m sorry about that. I promise, I wasn’t trying to rob you guys.”

“Do you need money?”

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest. Polly’s voice was soft and earnest, but somehow that just made it worse. Betty pinched the bridge of her nose. “No. Please, Polly… I don’t want this to be like that. I’m not trying to get anything from you. If you want to talk then I would like to talk, but if you’re just going to throw money at me to get me to leave again–”

“No! No, I’m sorry. That’s not what–– I’m sorry. I’m not trying to get you to leave. I don’t know how to do this, Betty. I just want to know you again. You know? …You broke my heart. I never understood why you left me.”

She knew this would be the hardest part about reuniting with her sister. She knew Polly would want answers. She was a Cooper, after all. “I know… I know. I want to tell you everything. It wasn’t your fault, okay? It had nothing to do with you. But… I’m going to need some time before I can get into that. You deserve an explanation. I just need time.” There was a pause, so Betty kept talking. “I don’t want to wait to talk to you, though. I want to catch up. I want to hear how you’re doing. Everything else aside, I miss you, Polly. Seeing you that night… wow, a lot of feelings came back. You look great.”

There was an angelic, resounding laugh that made Betty grin from ear to ear. Polly answered, “I was terrified! Even more so when I saw that Dad wasn’t there. You picked a terrible night to do whatever it was you were doing.”

“You seemed like you were going to handle it just fine. I saw my life flash before my eyes when I saw that bat in your hands.”

“So did I when I saw the Serpent on my intruder’s jacket.”

“Did you say you were surprised to see that Hal wasn’t in bed?”

“I was. After you left in such a hurry, I saw that his car was gone, too. I figured he got a rush of inspiration and decided to go work in his office at the Register.”

“Does that happen a lot?”

“Well, he’s been overworking himself lately. He’s always distracted at dinner but he never wants to talk about it. Then I see what he’s publishing and I get it.”

Betty sat down on the couch. “Right. Lots of weird things going on around town.”

“Definitely. It makes me worry about him. He’s always so tired. He always had such a great routine and it’s all been thrown out with the trash.”

She couldn’t find it in her to give a damn about their poor, struggling father, but the strange behavior was something to note. Even Polly seemed to be making a lot of assumptions to give it an explanation. “What about you? What are you up to these days?”

“Looking for a job to help pay the bills. I was working at the mall, but my store closed down. They’re going to reopen at a new location eventually when Hiram Lodge opens that new shopping center but it’s going to be a while. At least I was promised an interview, so that’s good. I’m thinking about waitressing at Pop’s.”

“That’s a great idea.”

A knock sounded at the door of the trailer. “Hey, I gotta go. But I’ll text you soon, alright? To be continued. It’s really nice to hear from you.” It was like talking to a complete stranger but she was eager to change that. 

“Oh. You too, Betty. You’re right… this is nice. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Betty ended the call and shoved her phone in her pocket as she opened the door to a distressed looking Toni. “Whoa. T, what’s up?”

“I followed Mustang. I’ve been keeping an eye on him ever since I saw you interviewing him at the bar. I figured it was related to your investigation and I said I would help, so… I followed him. I found something you should see.”

Toni’s directions brought them to the outskirts of town where there was nothing but a few small businesses and abandoned lofts. If he asked, Betty had an idea about where Hiram could build his precious shopping center instead of on top of a populated area. Toni had Betty park behind a shabby looking building next to a convenience store with a sticker of a snake on its window. The only man inside was behind the counter and reading a magazine while smoking a cigarette, perfectly preoccupied. Toni put a finger to her lips as she gently closed the car door and nodded to the fire escape.

They climbed up to the second floor and entered through the window. The wallpaper was yellowed and peeling. There was no furniture save for a couple of folding chairs and a plastic table, collecting dust. The corners and ceiling fans were decorated with cobwebs. Betty followed Toni closely as she found the stairs that took them a floor lower. Her hand nervously hovered over the knife in her pocket.

When they reached the basement, she understood why Toni looked so distressed back at the trailer. Multiple plastic tables were put together to create a large surface that was littered with tubing, brown jugs, flasks, beakers, plastic bags, and funnels. Metal sinks lined the far wall. Betty stepped off the stairs and cautioned a closer look, shining a light from her phone on a digital scale still dusted with powder and buckets underneath the tables. Everything looked relatively new but used. Definitely used.

Betty covered her nose from the stinging chemical smell and backed up to where Toni was still standing on the staircase. She didn’t protest when the other girl beckoned her to follow her to the first floor. Betty put her hands on her hips, eyebrows squeezed together, and looked around as she tried to catch her breath. “Oh my God.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s a drug lab. That’s our drug lab.”

“Can this rule out that Clifford Blossom was supplying us instead of the Ghoulies?”

“No,” Betty breathed out and started pacing. “No, the opposite, actually. Now I’m certain that he was supplying us. The news said that the drugs in the Blossoms’ barn were imported. And I have it on good authority that Clifford’s business was taking a hit after Fangs’ death. He could’ve tried to raise his percentage of the profit. He would’ve been taking a huge risk by continuing business as usual, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think he wanted to be compensated.”

“Why not take a break for a while instead of continuing?”

“Because his partner was ambitious.”

Toni folded her arms across her chest and inhaled sharply. “Okay. So he demanded a larger cut and died soon after.”

“His partner didn’t like the ultimatum. So she staged his suicide and decided to forget about importing the product altogether. They could make it all right here in Riverdale.”

“And… we are talking about Penny?”

“Yup.”

“God. Okay. Oh, God.”

Betty took out her phone again and unlocked it with shaking hands. “If she was willing to kill a guy like Clifford Blossom for the good of her business, imagine how little she could’ve cared about eliminating one of her own runners.”

“What could Fangs have done to deserve that?”

“I don’t know. I need to call Veronica and get her input.”

Betty put her phone to her ear after selecting Veronica’s contact and waited as she bounced on her toes. She looked up and saw Toni watching her with an expression that made her blood run cold.

“Why do you need Veronica Lodge’s input?”

Her eyes widened as she realized her fatal mistake and she could swear her heart stopped beating. _“Hey, Betty–”_ Veronica’s voice was cut off as Betty ended the call and slowly pulled her phone away from her ear. She shook her head and stuttered. “I–– I don’t." Her ability to think on her feet had vanished, washed away when the proverbial bucket of ice water was poured over her head after such a stupid slip-up. "She just… she’s the one who told me that Clifford had mentioned Fangs on the phone, when… she was at a sleepover. She thought… I was his friend, so I should know––”

“That doesn’t explain why you need her input _now,_ ” Toni responded, her voice rising.

“No it doesn’t,” Betty breathed out and locked her clammy hands behind her head. “Shit Toni, this isn’t a good time––”

“When is it ever a good time with you? You expect me to tell you everything about my life, but I have to wrestle _everything_ out of you. Or catch you completely off guard, which is what’s obviously happening now because you look like you’re about to get in your car and never come back. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore, so I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“Please. Please, Toni…”

“Please _what_ , Betty?”

Betty dropped her hands at her sides. There was so much emotion swirling in her head that her vision was getting blurred. She’d been so careful. She’d been such a _shit_ friend. “I–– we’re dating, Toni. We’re dating. Veronica and I… are dating. And she’s helping me investigate Fangs’ death.”

Her best friend stood there looking like she’d just been stabbed. The hurt in her face was enough for Betty to know that there would be no coming back from this. The trust was gone. “Hypocrite.” Betty couldn’t fight that. Toni was right. But the lack of response had Toni deciding to call it quits. “I’m taking a taxi home," she muttered under her breath as she passed Betty before she disappeared up the stairs.

It'd happened. Her worst fear had happened. She'd been right in fearing that she'd lose everything if this got out. And now, it was no longer in her hands. After a moment, Betty roused from her shock with a second wave of panic and practically threw herself at the railing. “No one can know, Toni!” she shouted after her. “ _Toni!_ ”


	11. Chapter 11

The chatter in the school halls sounded distant and muffled like it was underwater. Betty rummaged through the books in her locker, unsure of which class she had first or if they had homework or what day it was. She froze with each passing Serpent.

She was losing her mind.

Her slip-up played over and over again in her head. _I need to call Veronica and get her input._ It was uttered in the heightened thrill of finally coming close to solving the mystery of Fangs’ murder, an uncontrollable exclamation to seek the opinion of someone whose opinion and intellect and company she valued both when she was in the most and least amount of control. But would her knee-jerk reaction to involve Veronica be the end of everything she held dear?

The familiar click of heels caught Betty’s attention and she looked to Veronica through her peripherals. Her girlfriend–– boy, did she want to keep calling her that–– smiled brightly to her friends and opened her locker with a straight spine and her head held high. It was almost enough to even fool Betty that everything was right and dandy as if their conversation over the phone last night wasn’t full of dread and anguish. Veronica took something rather large and egg-shaped from her bag and put it in her locker before taking out her phone.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:50am ] Anything?

Toni was nowhere to be seen. It put Betty a little more at ease, but her guilt twisted her insides. She held her phone in her locker and texted back the girl who mirrored her position on the opposite side of the hallway.

[ Betty Cooper 7:50am ] No. I don’t think she’s told anyone.

[ Betty Cooper 7:50am ] Yet.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:51am ] Talk to her. Not to make sure she’s not going to tell anyone but to show her that you care. She risked a lot by following Mustang and going into that drug lab only to find out that her best friend has been keeping a big, personal secret from her. She probably feels used.

[ Betty Cooper 7:52am ] Yes, mom.

She felt a burning sensation on the back of her head so she quickly typed:

[ Betty Cooper 7:52am ] Sorry

[ Veronica Lodge 7:52am ] Betty Cooper

[ Betty Cooper 7:52am ] I’m sorry! I’m nervous.

[ Betty Cooper 7:52am ] I might’ve just lost my best friend and you in one, single, moronic, stupid, idiotic move. Not to mention the Serpents.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:53am ] I understand. But you haven’t lost me. In fact, I have something that might help you feel at least a little better and hopeful.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:53am ] I also want you to consider that the Snake Charmer didn’t kill Fangs.

[ Betty Cooper 7:53am ] Okay, one thing at a time. Why do you think that?

[ Veronica Lodge 7:53am ] Consider this: The Ghoulie Fangs was having trouble with chased him down. Fangs hid the money in case Ollie Ortega caught up with him and tried to take it. He thought he could come back and get the money later. But Ollie shot him instead. The Snake Charmer knew of their rivalry and was quick to get vengeance, so she had Ollie killed.

[ Betty Cooper 7:55am ] She must’ve done a really good job of covering that up. When I confronted the Ghoulies at the tattoo parlor they didn’t seem to blame the Serpents. They were just sad and wanted me to leave them in peace.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:56am ] If she can make Clifford Blossom’s death look like a suicide, then she can make Ollie’s death look like just about anyone’s work.

[ Betty Cooper 7:56am ] There’s just one thing.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:56am ] What’s that?

[ Betty Cooper 7:57am ] That would mean Fangs’ killer was already brought to justice. And the only thing this investigation has brought to light is how low the gang is right now.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:57am ] And the Snake Charmer did actually murder someone. She murdered Cheryl’s dad. That’s not nothing. And... definitely something we need to talk about later.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:58am ] I know what you mean though. Not a particularly satisfactory ending to the investigation.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:58am ] Feels like a lot of work for something we already suspected in the beginning.

[ Betty Cooper 7:58am ] The news was right all along. 

[ Betty Cooper 7:59am ] What’s the thing that you think will make me feel better and hopeful? That sounds great right about now.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:59am ] Class is about to start. Meet with me after practice?

[ Betty Cooper 7:59am ] You got it, princess.

[ Veronica Lodge 7:59am ] Well. I'll take ‘princess’ over ‘mom’.

Toni arrived ten minutes after the start of their first class. She apologized to the teacher and made every effort to sit as far away from Betty as she could with only the briefest moment of eye contact. Sweet Pea muttered “the fuck?” under his breath and gestured to the empty seat behind him, next to Betty, but Toni’s eyes were glued to the blackboard.

It all seemed so ridiculous. Betty really thought she could spearhead an investigation into her friend’s murder and discover some big conspiracy and get the villain arrested and save the day. They had a murder board and everything. It was childish. Of course the news and police would know what they were talking about over a few kids who wanted to play detective. It brought her closer to Veronica than she ever thought she could be, yes, but it was also the beginning of everything falling apart.

Veronica was right about Toni probably feeling used but it went far beyond that. Toni would feel betrayed on a personal level and she would feel like Betty was betraying the gang itself. Betty’s gaze fixated on the pink hair rows in front of her and wondered about the moral dilemma that the girl was silently battling. Should she tell FP and get Betty expelled from the Serpents forever? Should she internalize it all to protect someone she could never be close to again? Could she live with knowing that she was allowing someone to stay in the gang who couldn’t be trusted and was making nice with their greatest enemy?

Betty could practically hear Veronica’s voice in her head telling her that Toni deserved an explanation.

As did Polly, practically a stranger now but still her sister, regarding why she left her.

Everything she loved seemed to be suspended from a great height by the thinnest of threads and there was nothing to show for it.

Except Veronica.

Betty sat in her car after school and watched as the Vixens poured out of the building and dispersed when practice was over. She waited for the text signaling the all-clear, then headed inside to the locker room.

That raven-black hair that always looked soft to the touch was the solace she’d needed, paired with the familiar smile that she had memorized. The Serpent jacket on her shoulders didn’t warm her quite as much as being in the presence of Veronica Lodge, alone, and allowed to be just a girlfriend.

Veronica reached out and grabbed both of her hands to pull her over to her locker. “Okay. Close your eyes and hold out both of your hands.”

Betty smirked and followed instructions, ready to play along. Veronica disappeared. Eventually, Betty felt something cold–– metal? ceramic?–– and heavy being placed in her hands. She opened her eyes when prompted to find herself staring at the object she caught Veronica putting in her locker in the hall earlier.

It was, indeed, an egg-shaped… thing. It was large and dark green with intricate gold patterns in the form of flowers with an occasional pale pink accent. It looked expensive, though she had no idea what it was, so she held it closer to her body and cradled the… object, with a grimace.

Veronica was pleased and had an explanation at the ready. “It’s one from a collection. You’ve seen them at the Pembrooke, right by the front door on the table?”

“That’s, uh…” Words failed her. “Won’t your parents know it’s missing?”

“It was Daddy’s idea.”

Betty held the thing a little farther away from her and less like it was an ugly newborn child. “Wait a minute…”

“I thought it was weird too, and at first I refused to give it to you. But then I saw something in his eyes that struck me as even stranger: Concern. He said he got to thinking about how the people of Riverdale loved their town so much and that people like you and Jughead were only just defending it, just as anyone with hometown pride would. He wanted me to give this to your family as an olive branch. A sign of understanding.”

Betty waited for the convincing part. Or the punchline. When neither came and Veronica stood there with her hands linked together in front of her and a gleam in her eyes, Betty gently suggested, “…It’s a bribe.”

“Oh, definitely. It’s worth $10,000––” Betty jerked and held the object like a baby again. “––and he gave me the name of an antique dealer to pass along in case you wanted to cash it in. Adrian Bass. And I knew you would never accept such a thing but you have to understand the gesture coming from him.”

“A bribe.”

“ _And_ it’s him starting to see things from the Serpents’ perspective, Betty. Or at the very least acknowledging it. I think accepting it is the right way to go. He doesn’t want to be the enemy.”

Alarms were blaring inside Betty’s head and Veronica could sense it. Hell, she predicted it. Veronica stepped forward and held Betty’s arms. “I know it’s shady. And it seems like a weird step but… it _is_ a step, in the right direction, I think. With everything going on and everything threatening to yank us away from each other, this feels like a tiny sign of hope. Minuscule, maybe. But it’s the most we have. I don’t want to take that for granted.”

Betty stared down at the ornament and frowned. “I mean you’re right about that, but––”

Veronica took Betty’s face between her hands and angled her gaze up to her. Veronica’s excitement for the ‘gift’ melted away to vulnerability. “Darling… I don’t want to lose you. If there’s a chance that one day we’ll actually find a way to survive when our Titanic of a ship hits its iceberg, then I will gladly board and keep stock of the vessel’s largest doors to float away on with you.”

Betty quirked an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

The smallest hint of a smile spread across Veronica’s lips as she stroked Betty’s cheek with her thumb and gazed into her eyes. “It’s true. We agreed to a doomed relationship but maybe it doesn’t have to be. Maybe my father isn’t always going to be the Serpents’ worst foe. Maybe things are changing albeit slowly and our doomed relationship can turn into something a little less tragic.”

The hope in Veronica’s eyes sent Betty’s heart aflutter. Even though Veronica was certainly reaching and the way she bent over backwards to convince herself that her father wasn't an awful human being was a big problem, it meant a lot that she was searching that hard for a sign that they could still have each other. Her gut turned at the decision already made up in her mind and though it made her physically nauseous she elected to ignore it. She looked down at the terrible egg thing in her arms and let out a curt sigh. “If it means all of that to you, then I’ll hold onto it. I’m not cashing it in or giving it to my family because FP would throw a fit and do something stupid, just like I am super compelled to do right now myself. And I want you to know that I hate it and it’s the worst gift I’ve ever received and I never want to look at it or think about it again and it goes against everything I stand for.But I’ll hold onto it for us.”

Veronica leaned in instantly and gave Betty a kiss that was much too short but communicated her relief perfectly. “You’ll find the biggest door with me?” she whispered with a grin just inches from Betty’s face.

“I’ll find the biggest door with you, Veronica Lodge. And I’ll talk to Toni so we’ll even have the chance to search. If this gets out beforehand, V…”

“I know.” Veronica nodded solemnly. “I know. Then this will all be for nothing.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo boy it's been a long time. But whatever my reasons for disappearing off the face of the planet, coming back with a renewed interest in finishing this story and seeing the comments that I never got to read meant so much to me. Y'all are truly the best readers and I hope I can still give you the wacky weird story that was promised.

It was late October and the air was cold and dry. The grass had recently been mowed so everything smelled earthy and it did nothing to help Betty’s allergies. She wouldn’t have been out there at all if she didn’t think it was the right location for the occasion.

Music played from her phone next to her– a playlist of classic rock similar to what was played on the radio in the Whyte Wyrm–– as she was seated on the ground with her back against Fangs’ grave, which the whole gang had pitched in for, and tore at the grass by her side as she cradled her late friend’s jacket in her other arm. His family was nice enough to lend the precious belonging out to her. They seemed to understand why she wanted it. They’d tried to repair the hole in it, but every time Betty ran her fingers over the amateur patchwork, she couldn’t help but think it was the perfect metaphor to how she was dealing with the loss nearly two months later. The missing button was just humorous. She couldn’t remember him ever losing it, but it certainly seemed in character for him to have continued sporting it and think it looked cooler that way.

She’d tried to go to the place of his death by herself once, where she’d given him the flower that Veronica had picked out, but when she’d gotten close to the alley she burst into tears unexpectedly with residual mourning and anger over her inability to get him swift and true justice. So she came to his resting place where it was easier to see his name on a stone and think about peace. …Almost.

“We’re fucked.”

It was as if he was actually there, ready to lend a listening ear to Betty’s latest dramatics that were less than poetic. Betty sprinkled the short blades of grass she’d torn on the ground and let out a heavy sigh. “If Penny murdered my cousin’s dad… my secret girlfriend’s best friend’s dad… and Penny goes to jail, then the gang’s short a lawyer and an ally. With Hiram’s moves to complete the SoDale project, no one’s exactly in the mood to play it safe, either. We need her. But Veronica’s trying to collect evidence to bring it to the police. It’s just a matter of time now.”

Betty shook her head. “But if Penny isn’t brought to justice, she’s still endangering us anyway. I can’t believe she set up a drug lab. And speaking of the drug lab, Toni hasn’t talked to me since I slipped up and mentioned Veronica. She said she’d talk to me today but I think she stood me up. And another thing––––”

“Dear God, Betty. Do you choose dead people to be your therapist so they can’t tell you to take a damn breath?”

Betty’s heart skipped a beat as Toni walked around the space where she was seated and sat in the grass across from her. Her best friend didn’t offer much in the way of eye contact, but the sarcasm was a good sign. Betty swallowed. “You made it.”

“Cheryl was keeping me hostage. She didn’t think I should come. …Get that look off your face. She doesn’t know about you and Veronica Lodge. She just knows that I’m pissed at you.”

Betty deflated during the long silence that followed. Subconsciously, her fingers went back to picking at the grass. “…It’s okay to be pissed at me.”

“Well… you’re damn right.”

“I should’ve told you everything early on.”

“Maybe not.” When Toni’s statement was met with a raised eyebrow, Toni’s lips thinned into a straight line as she folded her arms across her chest. “I didn’t tell you early on about Cheryl. Fangs didn’t tell you about Midge. You didn’t tell us about your girl. So that’s not the issue. Just… why her? Jughead called Cheryl ‘Madam Satan of Riverdale High’, but Veronica is Madam Satan of Riverdale and her father is Lucifer himself. And you _know_ all of this. I just don’t understand how you can press so hard about the gang being perfect and protecting it while being with her at the same time. That’s just telling her that it’s okay for her family to screw us over.”

Betty let out a shaky breath. “Yeah… yeah that’s why I didn’t say anything. I don’t have everything all figured out myself, and I don’t think she does either. We went into this whole thing knowing that we’re doomed. Whenever she talks about it there’s typically fire imagery or she mentions the Titanic.”

Toni cracked a smile. “Please get a therapist who’s not buried six feet under.”

“My mom would have a meltdown. Anyway, we’re entirely operating on feelings and… admittedly getting obsessed with the investigation helps because without that, then we’re going to have to talk logic. And that’s where things are going to die. But we don’t want that. We’re buying time to figure things out. She’s trying to find a middle ground to plant the smallest bit of a safety net in case it all goes to shit, but she’s reaching pretty far. Then I humor her ideas because I––– well, back to the topic about operating on feelings… I’ve got a lot of those towards her.”

“Are you about to give me a speech about the way she smiles or smokes everyone in English Lit?”

Betty tried to fight a sheepish smile and scratched the back of her neck. “No. I think if I do then circle back to the whole thing about being doomed, then things will get more depressing than us having this talk on our friend’s gave.”

Toni nodded solemnly having run out of quips and turned serious again. “Knowing that you’re putting yourself through this fully expecting a heartbreak doesn’t make me hate her any less.”

“There’s still a chance it can work...”

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

“Betty.”

“She makes me happy when we’re able to be together. Nothing else matters. Or… I’m trying not to let it. I’m sorry, I know that’s fucked to say to you, all things given. What her family’s doing to the gang does matter, and I feel like shit for being that Northside transfer who was never supposed to belong, going behind everybody’s backs and dating the villain’s daughter. It’s just–––”

“You’re… in love?”

Betty visibly recoiled, snapping her head up to meet Toni’s gaze, who looked more like she was pitying her than anything. “I wouldn’t–– I wouldn’t go that far. But… if things could ever be normal… I think I could be.”

“Crap.”

“ _Yeah_.” Another long silence followed while Betty watched Toni. She ripped at the grass in place of digging her nails into her palms and struggled to find the words to her heavy thoughts.

Toni sighed as she sensed this. “I’m still pissed at you. I think it’s all very stupid and I’m worried about how much her family’s done that you’re excusing because of her. But I also trust you to do whatever it takes for the gang to survive. I have to. Am I wrong?”

Betty straightened her posture and shook her head back and forth. “No. Of course not. And she knows this.”

“I have a lot of questions, Betty. I don’t trust her. I don’t like her. I don’t like that you’re both _expecting_ it all to crash and burn. But I want my best friend back. I’ve already lost one this year. I’m not losing another.”

“Yeah, same here.” Betty released the clump of grass in her hand. _What does the brain matter, compared with the heart?_ Well, maybe if Virginia Woolf had been in a gang and was dating her greatest rival, the brain would’ve seemed a little more important. “I’m sorry, Toni.”

“Has anything new come up in the investigation?”

“Not really. Penny makes the most sense and Veronica wants justice for Cheryl’s family.”

“Alright, she can have _one_ single point towards redeemability. Can’t say I disagree.”

“Only question is, how do you gather evidence against Riverdale’s most infamous attorney and get her locked up as quickly as possible so she can’t take us all down with her?”

“Want to get drunk at the Whyte Wyrm tonight?”

“Definitely.”

“I’m still pissed.”

“I know.”

It was the next night and Betty had gotten a terrible idea, and now they were all along for the drive. Literally. Veronica closed the mirror and pushed the visor closed as Betty’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Veronica caught the movement from the corner of her eye and reached over to squeeze Betty’s arm. “B, your shoulders are going to get stuck by your ears forever if you don’t relax a little.”

“Maybe she has a right to be stressed and can be as tense as she wants.”

Betty looked at Toni in the rearview mirror as Veronica withdrew her hand. “You guys are both going to give me a heart attack at 18 if you don’t chill. Please.”

The road to Penny’s office was dark at this time of night, but it was the only time they could be sure she wouldn’t be there. Bringing both Veronica and Toni along for the mission, though, that was entirely optional. A decision that Betty was currently regretting. She thought it might help them see each others’ point of view now that the secret was out. But that was a stupid thought.

“ _Betty_ …” Veronica began, gently, “What are we going to be looking for? I agree that getting a glimpse into the suspect’s life is a necessary step, but do you think we’re going to find anything incriminating against _her_ in her workplace? In regards to Cliff’s possible murder, I mean.”

“His murder,” Toni confirmed, adamantly. “He was murdered.”

Betty shook her head slowly. “I don’t know exactly.”

“We _are_ risking getting caught breaking into an attorney’s office,” Veronica continued. “Not that I could ever doubt your ability to MacGyver just about anything, and with much better hair.”

Toni scoffed from the back seat. “If you’re having second thoughts, you’re free to call your chauffeur and leave, princess.”

“Hey now,” Betty responded with a nervous chuckle. “Only I get to call her princess. Look, you’re both right. Neither of you have to come with me. But you’re both incredible assets towards figuring this whole thing out and you’re both doing it for Cheryl, so neither of you are actually going to leave. No, I have no idea what we’re going to be searching for in there exactly, but I do think it’s worth the risk. We can’t have people in Riverdale– Northside or Southside– killing each other over drugs. That’s not who the Serpents are. I wasn’t born in the Southside and even I know that. Penny knows exactly what she’s doing and she has to be stopped. This is the right step.”

Toni leaned back in her seat and shrugged. “FP was always right to be weird around her. Just because someone’s a Serpent doesn’t automatically make them a good one.”

“Neither does being born into it,” Veronica added and placed her hand on Betty’s leg, who smiled weakly back at her. Veronica glanced back at Toni. “I’m not assuming to know how it all works and I’m not pretending to be a voice in an experience that’s not mine. But I think we can at least agree on Betty’s unbreakable loyalty to the family.”

“It’s a gang, not a mafia,” Toni quipped half-heartedly. “But yeah… sure. Whatever.”

Betty knew the unspoken message Veronica was trying to deliver, and she suspected that Toni understood it as well. Her best friend wouldn’t be quick to fully accept it, but Betty could tell that Toni appreciated the attempt. Hating people like Veronica Lodge was written into Serpent DNA. Hell, Betty hated her guts at first, too. But Veronica was much more than a Lodge, and one day Toni would see that she would never threaten Betty’s ties to the Serpents. Betty pulled into a parking spot and quickly unbuckled her seatbelt. “We’re here. Thank God.”

A little too eagerly, Betty approached the front door to the tattoo parlor and dug into her pocket for a bobby pin. Before her fingers could find it, Veronica joined her side and withdrew a small leather pouch from her purse with a proud smile. “Like I said before, I don’t doubt your ability to MacGyver anything you set your mind to, but I thought even you could appreciate the luxury of using a real lock-picking kit every once in a while.”

Betty didn’t have to be looking at Toni to know that she was rolling her eyes before walking some distance away to keep watch. Betty took the pouch and smirked at the long metal pieces inside. Under her breath, she said to Veronica, “Buying me things isn’t going to be what wins Toni over.”

“I know,” Veronica responded matter-of-factly, “I have my natural charm for that. I bought this a while back for when we inevitably committed a felony together.”

Betty selected two of the tools from the pouch and started to get to work on the lock. “Well, thank you. It’s always been a dream of mine to receive a bouquet of lock picks from a pretty girl. Much better than roses. I think us ever going on a normal date would be the strangest thing we’ve ever done.”

“Good thing we’re far from normal.”

Betty hummed in agreement and wiggled one of the tools up and down inside the lock. The silence that followed was brief as Veronica decided to press the topic in a hushed voice. “I like that someone knows.”

“Me too.”

“I like having the opportunity to be proud of who I’m with, in front of someone who’s important to you.”

Betty snorted. “You don’t have to pretend like you’re proud of me. It’s fine.”

“I _can_ be a convincing actress when I want to be, but I’m not pretending with this one. Not when it comes to you.”

This earned a brief pause in the breaking and entering as Betty looked up to see the sincerity in Veronica’s expression. She thought back to what Toni said in the cemetery as a familiar rapid rhythm thudded against her ribcage. Though along with the rush of adrenaline at the gesture came the piggybacking emotion of fear of losing it all entirely. It was uniquely _them_ to feel the anticipation of pain with any amount of happiness. Betty swallowed and turned her attention back to the lock. “How about you be proud of me when I get us in and out of Penny’s office without getting caught?”

“Deal.”

“There it is.” With a click, Betty turned the tension wrench and pulled the door open. She repeated the same process with the padlock and gate and in moments, the three of them were inside of the tattoo parlor and hurrying into the back room where Penny conducted her business. Betty passed out flashlights and sighed at the stacks upon stacks of paper and folders. “We’ll give it twenty minutes tops. Then we’re getting the hell out of here.”

The drive to get Toni home was silent. Veronica was right in suspecting that Penny wouldn’t keep anything incriminating at her workplace. Walking away empty-handed was a blow to their spirits and nobody had anything to say about it during the ride. Once Toni was safely home, Betty started the drive to the Pembrooke. Both were expecting the other to break the silence now that they were alone. Finally, Betty took a detour and parked the car at a rest stop before they came out of the woods. She turned off the engine and ran her fingers through her hair while Veronica waited patiently for whatever was about to come. Betty let out a humorless laugh. “Fuck.”

The mystery was straying further and further from what it seemed like in the movies every day. Their evidence board was looking bare. They were up against a master of the law who really didn’t want to be found out. The gang looked like it would be fucked in either direction. They should’ve had more by now. There should’ve been hope.

Betty shook her head. “I don’t know what to do.” There was a small crack in her voice and she spoke so softly she almost didn’t recognize herself.

Veronica inhaled and shifted so her body was angled toward Betty. “There’s going to be a way to solve this.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’m not sure about anything, B.” It was said so honestly that Betty finally turned to look at her and the worried wrinkle between her brows. “I don’t know if we’re going to catch the bad guy, stop the murders, save the Serpents, get Daddy to come around, _and_ find a door big enough for both of us to float on when the ship crashes into an iceberg.”

A knot formed in Betty’s throat and she went back to staring at the forest line through the windshield. “When you say it like that it all sounds so impossible.” She tapped a finger against the steering wheel. “Earlier you said not wanting to pretend when it comes to me.”

“That’s not a statement I’m taking back.” Veronica paused for a beat, sucking in her berry-colored lips. “I want to offer you the world and the stars to hold at your fingertips, Betty Cooper. It hurts that I can’t deliver.”

“Diving into a doomed relationship without being able to actually _dive_ turned out to be a lot more masochistic than we thought, huh?”

Betty could see Veronica sit back in her seat in her peripherals. But she didn’t have to be looking at her to tell. She knew her well enough in their short time together to know that the walls were going up. It was a testament to them as individuals: Veronica wanting to offer stars and Betty coming up with ‘doom’ and ‘masochism’. It seemed like years ago that Betty was powered full steam ahead and the most ambitious out of anyone in Riverdale to solve this mystery… and the mystery that was the future of their relationship. She didn’t feel like herself. She felt like a worn down, tired version of someone she used to be. She reached for the keys again and turned on the ignition. The car started with a stutter. “I think I’d better get you home before I say anything else stupid.”

When Betty parked in front of the trailer sometime later, she ran her hand over her face as she saw the lights were on. She wanted nothing more than to call it a day, even though in reality she’d be up for hours tossing and turning over Veronica’s words. They were both hurting by being together without being able to be their full selves at the same time, with their full hearts and unchecked desires. Neither of them could have that world, let alone any stars, while they remained a secret to protect those around them. It was all too delicate even though Veronica clearly possessed the heart to make them impenetrable. If everything was different. Everything.

As Betty stepped out of the car and spun the keys around her finger, she let out a heavy exhale as she questioned how long she was willing to torture both Veronica and herself before their inevitable crash and burn. It seemed wrong, like they were meant to be together in another timeline but they accidentally existed in this one. Like a cosmic mistake. Betty got closer to the door, preparing to mask the apocalyptic internal conflict once she greeted her family, when she heard a voice coming from inside:

“ _FP_. I’m not liking these accusations.”

The familiar voice startled Betty so bad she dropped her keys in the gravel and leapt to the side of the trailer out of view from the windows. The shock nearly took away her ability to breathe.

“C’mon. Don’t play games with me. _Not me,_ Penny. You were already on thin fucking ice by even suggesting we start running drugs. You can’t stand there and tell me you’re innocent. You take me for a moron.”

Penny’s laugh that followed made Betty want to storm in there and give her a piece of her mind, but she needed to hear the rest of this conversation without her knowing she was there. If Penny got wind of her snooping in her office, the drug lab, then overhearing this tense confrontation….

“Hey, you’re the boss. I’m just the one that keeps our guys out of jail. You really have balls for this, you know? It’s insulting you think I’d be that careless. I swear to you, if you start sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, and disrupting _my_ job, then I’m not going to be the one who falls through the ice.”

Betty heard heavy footsteps coming her way so she sidled against the trailer to the back. There was a _click_ as the door handle was turned and boots landed on the gravel. She thought to peak around the corner to get a good look at the woman, but then she heard the metal of keys crunch under a boot. Then a pause.

 _Fuck,_ her keys. And her goddamn car.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid…._

The silence seemed to last forever. She couldn’t imagine what Penny must’ve been thinking, especially not when the steps finally resumed and faded off into the distance. She would clearly have been able to put together that someone was there and lurking (poorly) so why didn’t she do anything?

After giving it a few more minutes, just to be safe, Betty proceeded to go inside for a restless night.


	13. Chapter 13

It was Monday morning before school and Halloween was just days away. Betty sat on the couch in the trailer as she laced up her boots with thoughts of helping Toni decorate the Whyte Wyrm later in her head, planning to skip Riverdale High’s event entirely so as to distance herself from being put in situations where she could only admire Veronica from afar. Jughead stood in the kitchen, brushing his teeth at the sink while looking out of the window and remaining blissfully unaware of the secret relationship his stepsister was involved in.

Betty had one arm through a sleeve of her Serpent jacket when Jughead dropped his toothbrush in the sink and muttered with wide eyes fixated through the glass, “ _No_.”

He spat into the sink, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and rushed outside. Betty quickly followed, her heart already pounding, as confused as she was. She didn’t need to go far to get answers. One step outside of the trailer, and she saw them, printed in large red letters taped to trailer doors and in the hands of baffled Serpents: EVICTION NOTICE.

Jughead was already off, questioning the confused masses if they’d actually talked to anybody about the notice as they were apparently being put up in the middle of the night. Betty turned around to find the same notice on her family’s trailer. Only one name came to mind as the saliva in her mouth began to taste like venom.

 _Hiram Lodge_.

Now kicked into full gear, Betty got into her car for some privacy and called the only person who would know anything about it this early on. Before she could say anything when the call was picked up, she heard a man’s voice, then Veronica’s.

_“–I have to take this, Daddy. Andre’s waiting for me. Hello, this is Veronica Lodge.”_

Betty tapped her finger against the steering wheel impatiently. “Let me know when you’re by yourself.”

_“Yes, of course.”_

A few moments later, and she got the all-clear.

“Know anything about your dad _maybe_ deciding to evict all of the Serpents from the trailer park?”

_“….What?”_

If Betty tasted venom, Veronica had it laced in her very voice. “Everyone’s got an eviction notice. They were put up in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep. My family has one too, Veronica, I––”

Her voice broke and stopped talking immediately, realizing now how panicked she was.

 _“Betty, we can handle this. I don’t know how, but we will. But just in case... I think it might be time to cash in Daddy’s_ gift _.”_

 _“_ Fuck, V. I don’t want anything to do with that thing with what he’s very likely doing right now.”

_“I know. But maybe it’ll give you some comfort to have the cash on you while we figure everything else out. I’ll see what I can dig up in his office after school. Maybe I can even get Kevin to relay some information he might’ve heard from his father.”_

Betty looked up in time to see FP storming out of the trailer with a look of fury she’d never seen on him before. “Yeah, I don’t think you’ll be seeing too many Serpents at school today. ‘Least not me and Jug. I have a feeling we’re about to have a gang meeting at the Whyte Wyrm. Keep me posted.”

The town meeting quickly shaped up to be a shouting match between each and every gang member who showed up. Most of the trailer park residents were there, even Penny who stood off to the side of the stage with FP, talking in hushed voices. Betty kept a close eye on her, mostly out of paranoia that the woman had already decided that Betty knew too much. A hand clasped her shoulder and she broke her stare to find Jughead, barely keeping his breathing under control. “Have you seen Tall Boy?”

Betty shrugged.

“Dammit. What’s the point of Dad having a right-hand man if he’s not around for something like this?”

“Good thing he has you.”

This seemed to give her stepbrother another mental goal, as he decided to take off in FP’s direction. Toni replaced him at Betty’s side. “We all knew this was coming.”

Betty lowered her voice. “V’s looking into it.”

“I’m just saying… if it was Hiram, it’s weird that she apparently didn’t know about this.”

She felt a drop of liquid run down the side of her clenched hand. When she turned her palm over, there were four red, crescent-shaped cuts lined from the base of her thumb to her pinky. Toni opened her mouth to say something when she saw, but Betty cut her off. “We have to do something. Nothing’s going to get done at this meeting. We need to gather as much information as possible and… maybe Penny can use it to help us fight this.”

“Lead the way. Let’s saddle up.”

They pushed their way through the crowd, past Alice and JB and Sweet Pea, and just about everyone who was about to lose everything and crossed the parking lot at a brisk pace. They could practically taste the anger and panic in the air that enveloped the Southside. Where would they even go if they were all evicted? Would the Serpents disband and fend for themselves? Those were just two of the questions they heard in muffled yells behind them. No one had the answer. Just as they reached Betty’s car, her phone rang.

“Yeah?”

_“Kevin says there’s been a death this morning. And his father is making an arrest as we speak.”_

“Whoa hold on, V. What does that have to do with the Southside?”

_“The death was a Serpent. Mustang. The arrest is another Serpent. Your boss, Betty. Tall Boy.”_

Betty held up a finger at Toni to pause. “…What- what is this all about? What’s happening? Why?”

_“Kevin said it had something to do with a drug ring, but that’s all he knows.”_

Hardly able to stand, Betty hung up the call and leaned back against her car, letting it support most of her weight. The Serpents were falling apart. At the end of this, she didn’t know what she’ll even have left. After explaining what she’d just learned to Toni, she wiped her bloody hand on her pants and let out a shaky breath. “New plan. Go tell FP what’s happening. Tell Penny. Whatever drug ring there is, it’s about to blow up. I have to go take care of something.”

The timing couldn’t have been a coincidence. Eviction notices, then a death and an arrest with ties to some drug empire that the police just happened to uncover that same morning… everything was falling apart at the seams, and Betty was scared, scared enough to get in her car with the ornamental egg stashed in the trunk and an address to the antique store run by the guy who would buy it off her. Adrian Bass was a strange fellow, but he confirmed the odd bit of decor was legit and wrote her a check. By the late afternoon, Betty had $10,000 cash in the trunk of her car, sweaty palms that stung the crescent-shaped wounds, and a complete loss of what to do next.

The roads were empty as she was driving back into town along the edge of the forest. Which was just as well, since she was anxious enough as it was having that much cash on her. When her phone rang, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Polly, now’s not the best time.”

_“Oh, okay. I just wanted to ask if you’ve seen Dad today.”_

“No…. Why would I have seen Hal?”

_“We got into a bit of a fight. Kind of. I told him this morning that I was talking to you and trying to reconnect and he threw a fit. He stormed out and I haven’t been able to get ahold of him. I’ve never seen such anger in him before. I guess I was just worried that he was going to see you. But that’s silly, I suppose.”_

Everything in Betty’s entire being wanted to scream that it wasn’t as silly as her sister thought. She took a deep breath as she stopped at an intersection. “I wish you didn’t tell him, but it’s too late for that. Look, we’ll handle that later. When you do see him, keep an eye on him for me? I’ll explain another time.”

_“Of course.”_

As Betty’s car crept into the intersection, she turned to the passenger seat to toss her phone aside. As much as she wanted to toss it into the damn river after the types of calls she’d been getting all morning, information was pouring in at a faster pace than she could handle, but it all had the potential to be useful. Maybe it was best she got her family and friends out of the Southside after all. Which meant bad news for her and Veronica….

When she turned back to the road ahead of her, she caught it in her peripherals too late to do anything: A black car, driving at full speed directly at the side of her own. She only had time to react and duck down with her hands covering her head before the impact, the sound of glass shattering all around her, a heavy force, and then… nothing.


	14. Chapter 14

Consciousness came later… much later. The first thing Betty sensed was that she was alone, but not in her car, and not in the forest either. There was silence, not even the sound of wind in trees’ canopies or critters scurrying about. Indoors. She must’ve been indoors.

The next thing she noticed was the pain in her shoulders and ribs. She winced against it, but something bound her hands behind her and… behind the back of a chair.

She couldn’t move her feet either.

Slowly, she opened her eyes but kept it at a squint. Even though the only source of light was the ceiling lamp that occasionally flickered, it took her far longer than usual to adjust, especially against the headache.

She didn’t remember what this place was, or how she got there. How long had she been out? There was the call from Polly, the intersection, the black car, and the crash… then apparently a large enough gap in time to be taken here. Wherever _here_ was.

When the light no longer disrupted her vision, she looked down to see her feet tied to the legs of the chair with rope. From the way her wrists itched, she could assume they were in the same situation behind her back.

The more she regained consciousness, the more the pain and ache of multiple muscle groups and bones began to set it, and on the side of her face she could feel something dried and cracked coating her skin.

Blood.

Her breathing picked up as she started putting everything together. With great strain to her neck, she tried to get an inventory of her surroundings: It was a largely empty room, appearing to be an emptied office. Behind her, a large desk with nothing on top of it facing the door that was directly in front of her. Adjacent to that door on her right, a doorway to a room that was blocked from view by hanging beads. Everything had a light coat of dust on it, including the floor, except for some footprints and lines where furniture had been dragged out of the room. On the doorframe that Betty assumed might’ve been the entrance was a rusted hook sticking out of the wood.

The place was stripped and abandoned for some time, but for some reason, someone had chosen this place to bring Betty, fresh out of a car accident.

Unless it wasn’t an accident.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she could feel droplets of perspiration begin to form near her temples. Someone could’ve been watching her. They might’ve found out that Betty knew more than she was supposed to. But what did she know? And for what? What was this about?

Then she remembered the $10,000 cash she’d had in the trunk of her car to protect her family.

She started to panic, tears forming in her eyes. If that money was gone, then she’d failed them. That was the last rabbit she could’ve pulled out of her hat. That was supposed to be their safety net. Now they had nothing.

Despite the pain that erupted all over her body, she started fighting against the ropes. The hook. It was the sharpest looking thing in the room, and though it was at chest level, it was her only chance. She had to figure out how to get the ropes that bound her to the chair to the hook and get far, far away from there.

She stopped momentarily when the toe of her boot kicked something that rolled away from her and toward the door. A button, like one that would be sewn on an article of clothing. Betty stared at it, but her train of thought was destroyed when she heard footsteps and a man wearing a black hood with its eyes cut out stepped through the hanging beads, his dark eyes immediately trained on her.

Betty saw the cold, unforgiving eyes and knew she wasn’t going to have much of a chance at getting through this. She pleaded incoherently, but the man in all black grabbed her jaw and ignored the ‘no’s and the ‘please’.

In a voice she didn’t recognize, he growled, “Who do you talk to?”

Betty’s lower lip quivered. “W-what?”

“All of your secrets. Your hatred and anger and childish schemes. Who do you share them with?”

She shook her head, partly from not understanding the question, and partly in rebellion to keep her friends out of danger.

“Toni Topaz. Veronica Lodge. Jughead Jones. Who else?”

Her heart started beating in her ears and her eyes grew wide. Fear of getting hurt herself was one thing, but this man somehow had a list of the people she was closest to… even the one she thought she’d kept a secret from the rest of the world. She jerked against the ropes binding her in defiance and tightened her lips together in a thin straight line. _How did he know? What was he going to do to them? Veronica… she had no idea. None of them did._

The man shoved her face aside and disappeared through the hanging beads again. Betty cursed under her breath and could feel more tears coming as the rock in her stomach grew heavier still, realizing that in a last-ditch effort to protect her friends, her brother, and the girl she wanted to love but made suffer far enough already, that she might not be getting out of this situation alive.

 _Be brave._ She said it in her head like a mantra. _Be brave. For them. Be brave for them._

When the man reappeared, he had a bat in his hand. Adrenaline shot through her system but that wasn’t enough to dull the pain that followed when he wasted no time in swinging it at her knee with a _CRACK._ She yelled out, but his gloved hand was quick to cover her mouth.

“Rethinking your choice to stay silent?”

She shook her head against his hand. He let go, then swung the bat back over his shoulder, rearing up for another massive hit.

But the door behind him swung open. He whirled around in surprise and raised the bat again, but the figure of Veronica Lodge was more prepared than him and stuck a taser to his neck. The sound of the device going off was enough to raise all the hairs on Betty’s body as the man crumbled to the ground and shuddered with live electricity.

In seconds, Veronica was at Betty’s side, untying the ropes with shaky hands. “I’ve got you, Betty, I’ve got you––” she repeated under her breath as if to convince herself that she’d get them out of there with the man still moving around on the floor next to them.

Betty had a million questions but they were far from in the clear yet. Once the ropes were untied, Betty stood and yelled in agony as the entire left side of her body and her knee lit up with pain. Veronica took her arm and put it over her shoulders so Betty could lean on her on their way out. Before they crossed the threshold of the room, Betty asked Veronica to wait and before Veronica could protest, Betty bent down– with great struggle– and picked up the button she’d kicked earlier. Once they were outside, Betty now recognized their location to be in the Southside.

Veronica directed her down some stairs– painfully quickly– and led them to a cab she’d had waiting for them at the curb across the street. With the button held tight in her fist, Betty let Veronica help her into the backseat with various grunts and groans. The moment Veronica closed the door behind them, she shouted the order at the driver: “Hospital. There's a big tip in it for you the faster you get us there.”


	15. Chapter 15

_“Betty, it’s okay, we’re almost at the hospital. We’re almost there. You’re safe now.”_

_“How did you find me, princess?”_

_“Sheriff Keller told your family that they found your car, totaled and on the side of the road and you weren’t in it. Toni ended up finding out, got my number from Cheryl, and gave me a call. I got a cab from where I was and told him to start driving around the Southside–– oh there’s the hospital. Careful darling, we’re going to have to get you up now. The story of my daring rescue to be continued.”_

Betty had fought nearly every step of the way through all of her tests and x-rays and care that the doctors gave her. Veronica left hours ago, after relaying to Toni that Betty had been found and was being treated at a local hospital. Betty had half a mind to tell her to stay and that she’d think of a story to tell her family when they got there, but Veronica insisted on her and her family giving each other their undivided attention for such a delicate time. So with a parting kiss to the uninjured side of Betty’s head and a squeeze of her hand, Veronica was gone.

It might’ve been the right call, as when FP, Alice, Jughead, and Jellybean showed up, they didn’t much care for anything else going on around them, much to the doctors’ frustration. Betty couldn’t help but feel bad for FP, who– in the past 24 hours– had been dealing with eviction notices, a death in the gang, the arrest of his right-hand man, and then his step-daughter getting involved in a car accident and then going missing.

She hated the feeling of being taken care of, especially by the people who were suffering enough on their own and had a thousand other things on their plate. The only thing she wanted was to get patched up, go to Veronica, and lay her head in her lap while they watched one of those black and white foreign films Veronica liked so much.

She needed to be with her savior.

She nearly tried rolling out of the hospital bed at one point when Alice questioned FP about where they’d get the money to pay for the medical bills and they both got scolded by JB for their bedside manners. At that point, Jughead herded everyone out of the room with an apologetic look to bide their time in the waiting room while Betty got fitted for a splint for her knee.

The process took all day and she was exhausted, but forbidden from sleeping because of her minor concussion. The ache in her bruised ribs made every movement excruciating, yet she refused pain medication for fear of adding more numbers to the bill she’d be walking away with. Her mother was right: The timing sucked. They already needed so much money they didn’t have.

Anytime her mind went to the hooded man demanding to tell him more names, and to the fact that someone had brought her to that abandoned office while she was unconscious and bleeding, she forced herself to worry about the money. Because money was practical. Processing everything else, and the way her hand– still with the crescent-shaped scars on her palms that she waved the doctors away from– was still shaking, had no logical equation to settle it. Her friends were in danger. Her girlfriend was in danger. Her family was in danger, and about to lose their home.

As if to save her from her own madness, Toni gave the door a knock and came in with a weak smile and a rolled-up newspaper. Betty breathed a sigh of relief. “Toni, I owe you everything for telling Veronica–”

“Stop, you owe me nothing,” she said as she pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. “You would’ve if you’d died. But you didn’t. So you owe me nothing. Those stitches on your forehead look gnarly. How do you feel?”

“Like I got hit by a car and someone decided to play baseball with my knee.”

Toni dropped her gaze and shook her head. “What kind of fucked up monster would do something like that? And why?”

Betty gave her a shrug. “I don’t know, but Toni… there’s something you should know. He was looking for people I’ve been talking to. He already had your name.”

“Shit. That’s not at all comforting. Can’t believe the fucking bastard got away.”

“He also gave me Jug’s name. And, somehow, Veronica’s.”

Toni looked up at her again. “…How?”

“No idea. But look…” Betty picked the button she’d found in the abandoned office off the bedside table along with her phone. After some scrolling, she brought up a picture of Fangs and held the button beside it.

Toni leaned in for a closer inspection. After a moment, her brows furrowed. “That button matches the ones on his jacket.”

“Do you remember him ever missing one before his family let us borrow his jacket the day we met up at his grave?” After getting a headshake in response, Betty continued. “I think he lost it the night he was murdered. I found this button in the room the guy in the hood took me to. There was an old hook sticking out of the door frame at the entrance. Whatever the hell that room is, I think he tried to make a quick escape and his jacket got caught.”

“Holy hell. Is that place near the alley where he was shot?”

Betty exhaled and nodded as she set aside the button and her phone. “Yeah. That man took me there because he obviously knew about it, so he has some connection to it. Which means, he might have some connection to Fangs’ death. And _that_ means, whatever he wanted me for, it probably had something to do with Fangs.”

Toni leaned back in her chair and ran her fingers through her hair. “And he got scared that you were close to figuring it out.”

“I need to look at all the facts we’ve collected again. If it can point me to who he is, then maybe I can get him locked up before he goes after any of you.”

“What do you think of this?” Her friend handed her the newspaper. Betty unrolled it to find Tall Boy’s mugshot printed on the front page.

“My dad’s been busy at the Register. Do we know what happened now?”

“It’s still pretty vague, but the article says that Tall Boy was the ringleader in the Serpents’ drug ring.”

“Which is false, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he did have a large part of it. Penny could’ve gone to him after FP told her no about starting a drug empire.”

“It also says that Mustang’s death was a lab accident. The guy who owns the convenience store next door called the police about a weird smell coming from that building. That’s how they found the lab and an unsuspecting Tall Boy at the scene.”

Betty frowned. “We’ve been to the lab. It smelled down there already. Like chemicals. If he could smell things all the way from there, why did he never report that?”

“He had the Serpent sticker in his window. He had to have been protecting them.”

“Then why report a different smell to the police instead of getting Serpents involved first?”

Toni pursed her lips. “You’re right… you’re right. That makes no sense. What does it mean then?”

“Mustang’s death might not have been an accident. And that convenience store owner could be in on it.”

“Again I say: Holy hell. Why does it feel like we’re close to solving something big even though I have no idea where this all is going?”

Betty laughed despite the pain in her chest. “Welcome to my world.”

Sheriff Keller turned up later to get Betty’s statement. There wasn’t a whole lot of information she could give him besides the location, the black car that hit her, and a very vague description of the man who interrogated her (brown eyes, wearing all black). The sheriff explained that they’d found the black car thanks to an anonymous tip about a parked vehicle with a wrecked front half, but it’d been stripped of anything identifying, and the unique model number led them nowhere of interest. That must’ve been how Veronica found her. Hell, Betty wouldn’t be surprised if Veronica was the anonymous tipper. Before he left, Betty asked, “Hey, uh… I had some money in the trunk of my car. Just some earnings I’d been saving up from work at Tall Boy’s garage.”

As expected, the sheriff shook his head. “Sorry, kid. There wasn’t any money in your car.”

It made checking out at the front desk that much more intimidating, knowing that those $10,000 were no more. But when she asked the receptionist about getting the bill in the mail, the woman answered, “Of course. All of the details about the costs of the tests and admission will be mailed to you, along with the information about your complete payment.”

“Sorry?”

“Yes, everything’s already been paid for Miss Cooper.”

Though she had to head home with her family, she knew exactly where she wanted to be and no way to get there. Her crutches and splint made getting to the kitchen difficult, let alone somehow getting herself to the Pembrooke without a car.

Her beautiful totaled car.

The next morning, Betty texted Veronica.

[ Betty Cooper 9:39am ] I need to see you today. Will your parents be around when you’re home from school?

[ Veronica Lodge 9:39am ] They will be. Please rest dear, we can talk once you’ve healed some more.

[ Veronica Lodge 9:40am ] I do want to see you, B. More than anything.

[ Veronica Lodge 9:41am ] You scared me.

It was maddening waiting for several days more, past Halloween, until she finally got the text she needed:

[ Veronica Lodge 7:18pm ] They’re gone.

Leaving her Serpent jacket behind, Betty called Toni in for a favor and a car ride, grabbed her crutches, and fought against every sore muscle to be on her way. Her heart hammered during the entire drive in Toni’s grandpa’s car, causing her to be silent and focused as Toni smirked to herself. Betty thought that maybe her best friend finally was coming around to her feelings towards Veronica Lodge. And all it took was her saving her life.

But Toni didn’t know how much more there was to it. Betty had gotten a medical bill of $0 and there was only one person who’d been at that hospital with her that day who could’ve taken care of it. It was hard to slip by unnoticed through the lobby of the Pembrooke like she usually could, what with her crutches and splint and healing stitches in her head, but she didn’t have it in her to care. By the time she was knocking at the door, she could hear her own heart pounding in her ears.

When Veronica opened the door, Betty dropped her crutches and lunged forward, cupping Veronica’s face in her hands as Veronica caught her from falling.

But fall she did, or at least her feelings for the Northside princess did. Betty breathed in the floral perfume that she knew Veronica dabbed behind her ear, and let the smell paint colors behind her eyes as she took in the softness of her savior’s lips and brilliance of the head she held between her hands. When Veronica was confident that Betty wasn’t still in the progress of falling over, she pushed back into the kiss with the same silent passion like they were frozen in time.

When Betty pulled back and saw the way Veronica’s brows were knit together and her eyes were hooded like she’d been waiting for this moment so patiently for so long, she let out a shaky exhale. “I love you. I’m sorry I ever gave you the impression that you were a debatable choice, but you’re not. Your father’s evicting all of my friends, my family, my gang, so they’re going to struggle to accept this, but the fact is, you’re not your father. You’re Veronica, the most generous, brave, whip-smart, and captivating person I’ve ever met in my life and I would be the biggest moron in the world if I let anything come in the way of me loving you with everything I’ve got. Even though what I’ve got isn’t much, I really don’t––”

Veronica interrupted her with another kiss, while her fingers curled around the fabric on the back of Betty’s shirt. The words were stolen from Betty’s lips, even when Veronica pulled away and stared into light green eyes. “You’re enough. You’re more than enough. I don’t want anything but you, because I love you right back, Betty Cooper.”

They collided a third time in another kiss, this time initiated by Betty with a little more strength than the first. The momentum caused Veronica to take a step back to support the two of them, but Betty lost her balance. She stuck her hand out to steady herself on the table next to the door and knocked over one of the ornamental eggs, sending it sailing to the ground and splitting almost neatly in half around its center.

Betty gaped at the broken $10,000 piece and held her hand over her mouth. “Oh, _fuck._ ”

Veronica seemed far less bothered and grinned as she patted her hand over Betty’s sternum. “It’s okay. Really. Don’t worry about it.”

But Betty couldn’t stop staring at it. She blinked, and with careful movements, she got down on the floor and sat on the side of her good leg. Picking up a large piece of the egg, she traced her fingers around the straight line that separated the two halves. “It’s hollow.”

Veronica narrowed her eyes, then knelt down next to Betty.

Betty continued after more inspection. “It’s light and hollow, and it looks like the two pieces can be twisted apart.” To confirm, Veronica stood and picked up one of the remaining pieces from the set. When she twisted it, the two halves separated. Betty’s eyes widened. “V, the one you gave me was heavy.”

With a sharp intake of breath, Veronica turned back to Betty and said, “I think it’s time we give our evidence board another look.”

Betty nodded and swallowed a knot in her throat. “One last time.”


	16. Chapter 16

“Whisper, darling, we have to be quiet.”

Betty nodded in understanding at Veronica, who sat opposite of her on the floor of Veronica’s closet with a blank evidence board sitting next to them. In their hands and scattered around them were the pieces of potential clues: Photos, newspaper articles, personal notes, and question marks. Every now and then, one of them would jot something down on a blank piece of paper, rip it out of the notebook, then add it to the pile. Betty squirmed against the pain in her body, especially in her knee, but the adrenaline pumping through her system made it more easily ignored. “We need to make a shopping list of sorts,” she whispered as Veronica passed the notebook to her. “To gather as much physical evidence as we can. When we do this, we have to get it right the first time.”

“We’ll get it. What do we need?”

After taking a moment to brainstorm on the blank sheet, she circled a few items then handed it back to Veronica. “I say we recruit Toni and my cousin.”

Veronica looked up to Betty with a growing smile that betrayed the hope she’d meant to keep restrained. “Cheryl?”

“Yeah,” Betty returned the smile and reached over to grab Veronica’s knee beneath her skirt, her green eyes shimmering with adoration. Finally, she was taking the right steps towards making her girlfriend happy like she deserved. “Honestly I’m surprised Toni kept it a secret for this long, but I’m glad she did. You should be the one to tell her.”

“And give her hope that her father’s killer can still be brought to justice.” Yet, the moment of inspiration was interrupted by a shadow of something else in Veronica’s expression that darkened her eyes.

Betty squeezed her knee tighter like an anchor. “V…”

“No, it’s okay,” Veronica responded with an unconvincing nod of reassurance and raised the notebook to take another glance as she cleared her throat. “Let’s summarize.”

“You catch Cheryl up to speed and ask her about Cliff’s behavior around the time of Fangs’ murder. See whatever information she can give you. Then, you’ve got Adrian Bass.”

“And you’ve got the Ghoulies.”

Betty groaned. “I really do, don’t I? I’ll hit up Toni and see if she can get a copy of that early September issue of the Register. _And_ I’ll see if she’s up for telling Sweet Pea everything he needs to know and setting him on the convenience store owner’s trail.”

“And your step-brother?”

“He’ll be with me,” she answered with a sharp sigh. “Hopefully.”

Veronica flipped the notebook to a new sheet and readied her pen. “Now tell me everything, from the very beginning, tying it all together. Like a story.”

“In the early hours of September 4th, Fangs thought he was completing a job then heading home to his family. But all it took was being in the wrong place at the wrong time for a black heart to decide that would never be possible for him again….”

“There’s something else you’re not telling me.”

Jughead was right about that. They’d gathered up the change to get a cab to Ghoulie territory and the two step-siblings now sat at the back of one, the air thick with tension. Betty fished a bottle of pain medication out of her pocket– Veronica had convinced her to pick some up and even paid for that bill as well– and decided now was the perfect time to take her first dose. She winced as she dry swallowed it. “You know I’d do anything for our family, right?”

“Yeah…”

“And you know my loyalty is to the Southside first and foremost.”

“Sure.”

“Well–” Buzzing sounded from Betty’s pocket. She pulled out her phone and answered the call. “Trouble?”

Toni sounded exasperated on the other end as she spoke to a second voice. “ _You didn’t have to– Betty? Sweet Pea, in an act of inspired togetherness, decided to rough up that convenience store guy next to the drug lab.”_

Jughead raised an eyebrow at Betty as their gaze met. Betty exhaled as she resisted the urge to itch at the stitches on her forehead. “Glad to hear he’s so adamantly on our side. He might’ve fucked things up, but––”

“ _He didn’t. When he was showing him what’s what, the dude’s shirt pulled up. He has a Ghoulie tattoo.”_

Unable to restrain herself, Betty punched the air in triumph then immediately yelped as every muscle in her side jumped in pain.

_“You good?”_

“Fuck– yes, I’m fine. Just realized our shopping list is goddamn flawless, if I do say so myself. That might end up being information I can use to my advantage in a few minutes.”

_“Glad to hear it. How’d it go with Jughead?”_

Betty hung up and sucked in air through her teeth, only meeting her step-brother’s eyes when she realized that they were really going to do this in the back of a cab. “Veronica Lodge and I are dating and I’m in love with her.”

Then, Jughead did something that Betty couldn’t have predicted… he burst out in laughter. The cab driver quirked his head to the side for a moment at the outburst, then turned his full attention back to the road. “You and… Veronica?”

Betty shrugged with a guilty expression and nodded.

The smile wiped off Jughead’s face like a magic trick. “WHAT?”

“Jug, you’re going to have to trust me.” The look on his face told her he had no idea how to do that. She pinched the bridge of her nose then moved her crutches so they weren’t sitting between them. “Veronica’s been helping me investigate Fangs’ death from the very beginning. From day one.” It was a conscious choice to leave out the fact that they’d been sleeping together on the regular by that point. “She’s not Hiram. She paid my entire medical bill and she’s the only reason why I was able to get some of the clues that we have in our inventory. She took on _Thornhill_ for the cause. The pictures of the evidence board I showed you? That board was Veronica’s idea. The very reason why I know about this Ghoulie tattoo place is because Veronica was able to talk it out of Midge.”

Jughead ran his hand over his face, then stopped over his mouth as he leaned against the window, deep in thought. Betty raised her eyebrows and looked at him expectantly. “…Hello?”

“Hiram’s evicting us.”

“Yeah.”

“She’s Hiram’s daughter.”

“I guess technically that’s a fact, yes.”

“We’re here.”

“What? Oh.”

The cab came to a stop outside of the tattoo parlor. Surprisingly, Jughead hopped out of the car in a rush to get to the other side and help Betty with her crutches. She let out a nervous chuckle. “Well, at least you’re not going to let me fall on my face. That’s a good sign.”

Jughead held her arm as she situated herself and scoffed while shaking his head. “I trust your judgment… but you’re going to have to convince me again later.”

Betty’s cheeks puffed out as she sighed and started toward the parlor with each _clink_ of her crutches. With any luck, she wouldn’t need to do much to convince him by the end of the day. Jughead opened the door to the shop and let her in first. Which was… not the best idea, because when Betty made her way inside, the Ghoulie who had threatened her to leave the last time she was here– the one built like a tank– was storming towards her and grabbed either side of the collar of her Serpent jacket, backing her into the storefront window until she dropped her crutches. She groaned in pain while Jughead shouted at him and tried to pull him off.

The man’s face hovered over hers as he leaned in and the necklace he wore– which was just a piece of rope wrapped around a strange-looking piece of metal– slapped her in the cheek. “No Serpents.”

“Oh, God. Fucking _ow._ I come in peace! I just have a question and– ow ow ow, and a piece of information I think you’d want to hear.”

“Out with it.” He growled.

“Fuck. I think I know who killed Ollie Ortega.” Instantaneously, the man’s grip on her softened. “You’re related to him, aren’t you? This is your shop and you still have his picture on that desk from the last time I was here. Am I right?”

He grunted in affirmation.

Betty reached up and took the metal dangling from his neck between her fingers. She studied it closely. “If this is what I think it is, then you might’ve already given us the answer we needed.” Just then, her phone started buzzing. With the Ghoulie still holding her up by the collar, Betty fished for her phone in her pocket, saw the caller ID, then put it to her ear. “Sorry I have to take this, something big always happens when I talk to her. Hey Polly.”

_“Not to use His name in vain but oh my God, Betty!”_

“Yeah. I’m guessing my little accident made the papers. Who wrote the article? Dad?”

_“Someone else. Are you okay? That must’ve happened soon after we last talked!”_

“Yeah pretty much immediately after.”

_“Can I see you? Screw dad’s weird feelings about you. Come over. He’s reporting at some big event so it’d just be you and me. I want to see that my sister’s okay.”_

Betty looked up at the Ghoulie staring down at her in confusion and smiled while Jughead stood there holding his breath. “Heh. Well, I’m a little busy right now. You talking about Hiram’s big SoDale project reveal?”

_“Yeah, that one. Everyone who’s anybody is going to be there.”_

“Funny. So will I. Polly… if tonight goes well, we _will_ catch up in person. We’ll make a day of it.”

_“Promise? And promise you’ll stay safe this time?”_

“Promise,” she answered as she hung up, though not specifying which promise she was making. “Okay tough guy. Let me go and we’ll talk. I have good news and bad news.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up next: It ALL comes together.


	17. Chapter 17

They were all meeting outside the town hall as the SoDale event was underway. Betty had gotten a text from Veronica confirming that Kevin knew his father would be there. Now, her heart was beating so hard in the back of the cab that she was certain Jughead could hear it too.

Jughead was silent, his leg bouncing as he stared out the window, deep in thought. He gave no indication as to whether what they were about to do was on his mind, or the fact that he’d just learned that Betty had been dating their enemy in secret. The silence did nothing to stop Betty from thinking the worst. He must’ve thought that she’d been enabling the Lodge’s plot against their family all this time. He was blaming their eviction on her. That had to be the reason for the silence.

The cab pulled up some distance from the town hall where Toni, Sweet Pea, and Veronica were also just arriving. The silence from inside the cab would be their last moment of reprieve.

Veronica was quick to Betty’s door to help her out of the car, supporting most of her weight even in heels until her crutches were in place. Betty made a comment under her breath about the splint being sufficient and that she didn’t need crutches but Veronica shut that thought process down.

Toni stepped up with Sweet Pea and Jughead joined the group in the circle they’d formed. “Do we have everything we need?” She asked in a hushed voice.

Veronica picked a large, expensive-looking bag up from its place on the ground and gave the side a pat. “It’s all here.”

“Are you _sure?”_ The voice of doubt came from Jughead. Veronica didn’t seem surprised. It only fueled her confidence.

“I’m sure. It’s ending tonight.”

Betty nodded, looking between her fellow Serpents and one princess before saying, “Then let’s do it. Veronica and I will take the lead once we’re in. For Fangs.”

“For Fangs.” Everyone repeated it around the circle, patting each other on the back before they turned and made their way towards the entrance steps. But they didn’t get very far before the suited figure at the door that’d been eyeing the group stepped in their way.

“Hey what the fuck is this,” Sweet Pea advanced immediately until he was in the man’s face.

“Andre,” Veronica said once she made her way to the front of the group. “Andre, let us pass.”

Andre folded his hands in front of him, shoulders back, and stood as firmly as a brick wall. “Of course, Miss Lodge. You may pass. The others will have to leave.”

Betty wasn’t listening to the exchange. Instead, she was staring at the side of Andre’s neck where– poking out from under his collar– there were two reddened, scabbed over spots. Leaning towards Toni as Veronica and Sweet Pea argued, she whispered, “New plan. I need to get in there with Veronica. Can you, Jughead and Sweet Pea…?”

“Sure,” Toni cracked a smile. “What are friends for?”

With that, she set it in motion. A quick glance at Jughead was all Betty’s step-brother needed to lunge forward and take one of Andre’s arms to pull him aside. Sweet Pea didn’t need further instruction before he grabbed the other and carried him away from the entrance as he fought. Betty took her crutches out from under her arms and handed them to Toni, despite Veronica’s sound of protest. “Hit him with these, will you?”

The entrance hall inside the building was busy with Riverdale natives and New York businessmen, so Betty took Veronica’s hand and pushed their way through. By the time they passed the threshold to the event hall, they were panting from the tension, from being so close to ending this once and for all. They looked wildly around the crowd as their chests heaved and Veronica clung to her bag, afraid that at the last moment, someone might take it and ruin everything. At last, they spotted Sheriff Keller laughing and conversing in a group with Hiram Lodge. Betty and Veronica made their way over as fast as Betty’s splint would let them and when they were finally within earshot, Veronica raised her voice over the chatter. “Sheriff Keller, I need you to make an arrest.”

“Veronica– who?”

Veronica’s stare was deadly as her eyes landed on familial features. “My father.”

The crowd grew hush as they turned to observe the Lodges. Hiram’s business associates stepped back so he could deal with his daughter. He broke out into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and took a step towards her. “ _Mija,_ whatever is upsetting you, we can handle it in private.”

“Stop right there.” The command in Veronica’s voice made the hairs on the back of Betty’s neck stand on end. “Daddy, you murdered Fangs Fogarty, Ollie Ortega, Clifford Blossom, and ordered the murder of Mustang of the Southside Serpents. And we know exactly how you did it.”

Betty took that as her cue to step up before the crowd got loud again. “Fangs was dealing drugs to make ends meet for his family. On September 4th, he tried to drop off the money from a day’s work early. He went to the usual location, but when he went inside, he found Hiram threatening the person who was handling the financial side of the Serpent drug business: Clifford Blossom.”

Veronica picked up from there. “Fangs tried to make a quiet exit, but his jacket got caught on a hook.”

Betty pulled the button from her pocket and held it up for everyone to see. “I found this in the abandoned office where I was kidnapped. Kidnapped by Hiram’s guy, Andre, by the way… the doorman. He has scars on his neck from where Veronica tased him.”

Now that his attention’s been pulled, Sheriff Keller nodded at one of the deputies to chase down Andre. Betty continued.

“As Hiram was threatening Mr. Blossom’s life, he inadvertently revealed to Fangs that he was the faceless puppet master of the Ghoulies... faceless even to most of the Ghoulies themselves. Hiram couldn’t let Fangs go and reveal his identity, so he chased him down to an alley nearby, where he shot him.”

Veronica took her turn again. “But he had a witness. Ollie Ortega. Ollie got away, while Daddy hoped that he wouldn’t be able to put a name to his face, but then he remembered…” She fished around in her bag, then pulled out a newspaper from September 5th with the main headline _RIVERDALE PROPERTY VALUES TO RISE BY 2023 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO DECADES,_ and Hiram’s smiling mug on the front page. “…That _this_ would be published the next day. So he hunted Ollie down like an animal and shot him with the same gun that he used on Fangs.”

Betty dug into the bag next and pulled out the rope necklace with the metal piece dangling at the end. “Ollie’s brother kept the bullet that killed him as a keepsake to fuel his anger and hopefully one day, bring his killer to justice.”

Hiram chuckled. “This is ridicul–”

“Shut it, Daddy,” Veronica snapped. “After you threatened Mr. Blossom, by Cheryl’s account, his behavior turned erratic. He started sleeping with a shotgun next to his bed and muttered to himself about better security systems over dinner.”

Betty stepped forward and pointed a finger at Hiram. “You _knew_ I came over to the Pembrooke. You heard us talking about Cliff. You found out about how he’d been talking to people about Fangs’ death and his paranoia. So you staged his suicide and tried to put an end to the Ghoulies’ competition while you were at it and revealed him to be involved in the Serpents’ drug trade.”

“These are all just the baseless accusations of teenagers with active imaginations,” Hiram addressed the crowd.

“I’ll continue,” Veronica commanded his attention back. “When the Serpents refused to close up their secret drug business– which was being run without FP’s knowledge, Sheriff Keller– and decided to cook up their own product, Daddy planted a Ghoulie in the store next to the lab to keep an eye on things and, when the time was right, murder Mustang and out Tall Boy as the leader.”

Penny would face her own justice later after putting so many Serpents in danger. Once they milked her for every last bit of usefulness she could offer in the legal battles ahead. Betty nodded at Veronica, who held open her bag as Betty grabbed onto the large item inside. “Then there’s this.”

Betty pulled out the decorative egg, the same one she’d cashed in for $10,000 at Adrian Bass’ antique shop that Veronica used Hiram’s money to buy back before it was gone forever. The muscle in Hiram’s jaw jumped. Betty frowned. “You had Veronica give this to me because you knew you’d be evicting the Serpents from the trailer park. You knew you’d put me in a position where I’d have to sell it.”

Veronica took a hold of the top of the egg and twisted it open. Betty angled it towards Hiram and the sheriff to show what was inside:

A small revolver that fired the same .38 Special bullets that were used to kill both Fangs and Ollie.

Veronica placed the top of the egg in her bag and folded her arms as she turned her attention back to her father, and started to take slow, threatening steps forward. “You not only had me _bribe_ my own girlfriend, but you made me ask her to go against her values… so you could get rid of a _murder_ weapon. You were trying to turn me into _you._ ”

Betty’s nostrils were flaring. “Fangs didn’t want to be remembered as a drug dealer. He didn’t want his family to know. That’s why he hid the wad of cash in the car in the alley as he was running from you. You nearly immortalized him as the very thing he died trying to keep secret, but the Serpents will remember him as someone who did whatever it took to keep his family safe from people like you _._ ”

“Not just the Serpents,” Veronica added. “Fangs was a hero. You’re the coward in this story, Daddy. Now everyone knows the truth. Even your Ghoulies.”

With a quick glance to the crowd as Sheriff Keller reached to his utility belt and approached one Hiram Lodge who seemed as though he knew it would be the smarter choice to not speak another word to help his legal case, Betty caught the eye of someone standing nearby with a phone– recording the entire exchange– pointed at them.

Her father. Hal. Staring at Betty with a sparkle in his green eyes.

Betty swallowed a knot in her throat as Hiram was handcuffed and led out of the room behind her. Her attention was pulled back to the moment when Veronica’s hand landed on her shoulder.

“Betty?”

“Yeah, Princess.”

“You did it. You brought Fangs’ killer to justice. It’s over.”


	18. Epilogue

The fire popped and crackled in the fireplace in front of them as they sat on the floor, Veronica’s back against the couch and Betty’s back against Veronica, situated between her legs. All they wore was a fur blanket that enveloped both of them. Next to the door on the coat rack hung a Burberry trench coat and a leather jacket with a serpent sewn on the back.

After celebrating with the Serpents that they were no longer to be evicted from the trailer park thanks to Hiram’s arrest weekend after weekend, Veronica had whisked Betty away to the Lodge lodge during winter break where they could take care of each other with no interruptions.

Nights were difficult as they began to psychologically process some of the events of their investigation. Though the mask of the hooded figure who tortured Betty had been lifted, anonymous enemies have started haunting her dreams. No matter how hard she fought, they’d always win.

But upon waking up, she’d realize that wasn’t the case in reality. Veronica– with similar nightmares about losing fights and a father she could no longer recall with a fond feeling– would be right there to remind her with a delicate touch and soft words that they’d made it, and everything was going to be okay.

That evening, they’d indulged in each other, writing new stories on each others’ skin, stories that didn’t involve pain. Stories that started and ended with love. Veronica kissed the spot on Betty’s forehead where her stitches had been, then Betty turned her head to nuzzle her face in her girlfriend’s neck.

“How do you feel, darling?”

Betty chuckled softly, shaking both of their bodies. “I thought I made that obvious.”

“True. I didn’t bring you out to the middle of the woods for nothing.”

Betty could hear the smile in Veronica’s words and she wished she could remain there forever. She could live in a snapshot, a still moment that never progressed or ended, instead of chasing death and monsters. “I’m in love with you.”

“I’m in love with you, too.”

“How are you doing with your mom?”

Veronica bobbed her head. “We’ve been… good. I’ve never been that close to her but I feel like… now we have an opportunity. Daddy went to jail and even though she's been angry with me, it almost seems like a weight has lifted from her shoulders. The Lodges will now be pursuing legitimate business for as long as I can help it. How about your sister?”

“We met up again just before we left town. I was thinking next time you could come with.”

“I’d love to meet her.”

“That would mean a lot to me.”

Veronica’s lips twisted into another smile. “Anything for the girl who read _Mrs. Dalloway_ for me.”

“‘What does the brain matter, compared with the heart?’”

“Well, tonight I’m going to treat both your brain and your heart to _An American in Paris._ In technicolor.”

“Only if I can reserve the right to pay more attention to the New Yorker in My Bed.”

Veronica’s groan turned into a laugh that melded with Betty’s. When the laughter died down, Betty turned in Veronica’s arms enough so she could look her in the eye. Betty’s own eyes seemed greener somehow. There was less shadow than what occupied her expression before. She reached up and tucked raven hair behind her girlfriend’s ear. “I have one more request.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you to start eating lunch with us at school. Me, Toni, Sweet Pea, Jug…”

“Are you sure that’d be okay with Jughead?”

Betty shrugged a shoulder. “He thrives on suspecting people of being worse than they are. It’s where he gets all his stories. But you saved our gang, V. Our whole family, while standing up to yours. Even Sweet Pea has warmed up to me mentioning you in conversation. Which admittedly happens pretty frequently. You might as well be there. If Jug can tolerate Chery joining us on occasion…”

“Point made. Betty, I’d be honored to join you at the Serpent table with your friends and family. Shall we relocate to the bedroom and start the movie?”

“Give us one more second here. I need to soak this in.”

“Soak what in?”

“You. Us. This moment. For the first time in my life, everything feels it’s going to be okay.”


End file.
